Tales From Broken Crystals
by Draggy2013
Summary: A series of one-shots, drabbles, and a few loosely connected stories. Some tie into longer fics, others do not. Characters and settings vary by chapter, summaries for each attached.
1. Treasure of the Izymael

**A/N:** Since each chapter poster here will actually be a one-shot, every chapter will get its own summary, list of characters, genre, warnings etc. Some of these connect to the two longer stories I'm writing, as they are just headcanons and drabbles spawned from them (I'll be sure not to upload anything that's a spoiler until the chapters it spawned from are up), some of them aren't, some are loosely connected to each other. These are mostly for fun. And because Neko insisted.

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers nor do I make any profit off of them.

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**The Treasure of the Izymael**

* * *

**Summary**: This is a story about the last voyage of the Pirate Ship Izymael, her captain, and her first mate.

**Characters: **Vailgali/OC; Keiss

**Warnings: **OC Deaths

**Ties into:** The Crystal Rule

* * *

The southern reefs off the coast of Alfitaria were known for great gales this time of year. They could brew up in the ocean overnight and strike the coast or any of the southern islands within a day's notice. It made living in the region troublesome, and dangerous. Even more so if you were on a ship. This time of year trade routes were diverted to avoid possible storms and lessen the chances of a shipwreck. Only the very foolish or the very brave dared to sale these waters this time of year.

The crew of the Izymael was blessed that their captain was both.

"Listen up you lot of drunken sea dogs!"

The captain called to the members of his crew gathered in the ships mess hall. It was split into two floors, and upper and lower deck; though the higher floor had more than half of it missing in the center so you could see down to the lower deck. It was big enough to fit the entire crew and then some within it to dine and drink and dance when they were anchored or docked. But at any given time the spilt room was only half full. The large room suffered from dim lighting, the oil lanterns and torches used to light the ship just weren't quite adequate for such a large space.

The captain leaned over the banister to shout at his crew. He was a Selkie, just the same as the rest of his crew. All of them gathered from the far ends of the seas to search for treasure, fame, and battles that would live on long past those that fought in them. "By tonight we'll be off the coast of the Hepearl Reefs! Where we'll mark our finest day!" The Selkies cheered as he spoke. The captain wasn't as young as some of his crew members, but he still wasn't an old man. Not yet. He was just as fit as the day he'd left the main land on a small sailing vessel of his own and set out to make a name for himself the only way he knew how. Through thievery, deceit, and cunning. If not for life at sea, and a few old battle scars and scrapes across his skin, and the scar on his right cheek, he could have passed for ten years younger than he actually was.

"We'll sail into the islands and claim for ourselves the most legendary treasure of these seas!" He raised his hand high in the air and the Selkie's listening to him did the same. As he pumped his fist into the air is red hair swayed; the majority of it was wrapped up in a ponytail that came off the top of his head. His hair was actually starting to recede in the front, but it wasn't terribly noticeable yet. It was offset anyway, by the neat and trim beard he grew.

"In ancient days, long after the Miasma cleared and those greedy onions sought to claim the world again their navy stole treasure from around the world! And who took it back from them, but the Selkies of course! The true owners of the sea! The true owners of the world's wealth! A treasure trove of civilizations, stored and waiting for us! The successors of such great men!" The Selkies bellow cheered on and clapped, and the captain brought his hands down, slamming them on the banister. "But hear this now! We are not alone on our quest! Scoundrels from Lynari seek to take what's ours! Traitorous dogs that think they can best this crew! That think they should lay claim to the treasure that's ours!" The members in the mess hall booed and hissed. "They think that they can lay claim to what's rightfully mine!" They let out another cry, their excitement building as he spoke. "But it belongs to me! It belongs to us! It belongs to all of you honorary Brigands!" The crew's cheers were so loud he could hardly hear himself shout, he wasn't even sure if his crew could hear him any more either. "It's ours for the taking! On my ancestor's honor, that treasure will be ours!"

The crew erupted into cheers and applause tossing up bottles of rainbow grape whine, bandanas, and mugs. They cheered and sang to their leader, the last of the Striped Brigands.

The captain smirked and banged his fist on the banister as he walked away from it. He walked around the room, men cheering his name. It would be their greatest adventure. He was sure of it.

As he made his way around the room to the large double doors leading out of the mess hall an old Selkie woman stood there. She was slightly hunched over, with her hands crossed in front of her. Her wrinkled face caused the white tattoos on her cheeks to appear distorted. Her shirt had no sleeves, allowing everyone to see the elaborate tale of her life, imprinted upon her with white ink. The shirt dipped down in the back, allowing one other mark to be seen. The twisting symbol of the Selkie tribe, chaotic and untamed, and just below that a symbol of the north star and a dessert flower. To anyone passing by it meant nothing. But to other Selkies it meant to listen to what she had to say. She was a source of guidance and wisdom, and leader of Leuda on Lynari Island.

"A rousing speech, Vaigali," she nodded to him as he walked by her. "I am sure every man will fight twice as hard when we reach Heparl."

"They had better, De'Andri!" The red headed Selkie crossed his arms as he walked past her. He had his own markings on his arms and back. The symbol of his ships flag for one was imprinted upon both of his arms. A hexagonal sea chart with three spaces filled in with the colors of his family crest. The red, purple, and yellow for the brigand, the old man, and the 'star'. Filled into the rest were the symbols for each of his victories, not one for a defeat. And the final mark upon his body, the distinction for a Selkie leader. Though he lead no place or town, just this ship. The purple stripe of Bal Dat wrapped around his arm. "They'll have to make up for us facing this battle without the first mate!"

"Ah," De'Andri, Turned to follow him. "Speaking of your first mate. How I wish you'd made her get off on Lynari. The fishermen say the seas are growing rough… I fear we are sailing right into a maelstrom."

He scoffed, "I cannot order her off the Izymael any more than you can. To argue with her is a maelstrom in and of itself. Her tongue is as sharp as my swords, and she wants to see the fruits of her labor."

The old woman shook her head, "It's a dangerous situation. You two are but young fools, if I was not needed for her care, I'd have gotten off in Lynari with my own girl and granddaughter with the rest of the women and children."

"It would be more dangerous still, to tell her she could not see Heparl for herself."

* * *

The first mate of the Izymael was almost as notable as its captain. She was a Selkie of undermined origin, never receiving her own mark of a place to call her own. She had given her self the mark of a seagull. She traveled where ever and whenever she pleased. And everything she found was hers. She had been the first mate since before the Izymael was even the ship they used to sail the world, coming aboard when it was but a handful of crew men, the captain, and a small trading vessel they'd stolen from a Lilty merchant.

She'd come to raid it, and never left.

Rather satisfied with the way she could handle a blade she was offered the chance to serve or the chance to drown. Perhaps it was because she managed to cut into Vaigali's face during their battle that she made herself first mate so quickly. But if you asked the men that served on board the longest, they'd tell you it's because she cut into his heart.

Question her, and she will tell, its' because he dared not risk letting someone so skilled stand against him, rather than with him in battle.

The captain pushed open the door to the first mate's room and cursed at the sight of her. She should have been in bed, but was sitting in her sleeping gown at a dresser that took up a wall in her room. Stolen from a Lilty noblewoman, it was very elaborate with flower engravings, and as far as he was concerned clashed with everything on his ship. She was digging through the boxes of stolen jewelry and accessories they'd collected over the years, pulling out a long strand of pearls and using it to tie up her light green hair; you could say it was reminiscent of the color of sea foam. Like the rest of them, her skin was tan from life out in the sun, which made the white seagull inked across the top of her chest stand out that much more. Around both her wrist were purple bands, added just last year, and down her back was the story of her travels at sea.

"Kei Nam," the captain banged his hand on the wall to get her attention. The maps and swords that hung form the wood shook. "You are supposed to be in bed!"

She turned her to look at him, questioning why he was making demands of her. As she turned her body she had to scoot back in her seat so the bump of her stomach wouldn't hit the end of her dresser.

"Vaigali, if you knock down one of those blades, I will put another mark on that jaw of yours." Once the pearls were set, pulling her hair off to the side, she dug out a blue bandana with a white pattern across it. Like the pearls she wrapped it in her hair, styling it in the old way, with the ends of it fraying off wildly. As if she had feathers or flowers in her locks. The white pearls were woven into the display giving her hair an elaborate look.

"Woman!" He stormed over to her and grabbed her by the wrist, "De' Andri told you to stay in bed."

"It's true, Kei, this far into your contractions, you cannot just get up and move about when you wish."

"I feel nothing." She pulled her arm back from the captain, "That medicine you gave me, makes me feel nothing. I could join you in the fight tonight! Even like this, no man could best me."

"That is hardly sensible." The old woman made her way to the bed and pulled the sheets back. "You are a restless soul. You need to rest. You are in the midst of having a child-"

"I wish it would come already." She got up and Vaigali lead her to the bed to lie down. "I am tired of being captive on my own ship."

"It is my ship, Kei."

"I'm the one that told you to buy it!" She lay down and a bitter look came across her face. "And I am the one that got the information from that man about the map to Heparl! And the one that has been looking with you for years. And now I must sit here, while you claim the greatest reassure Alfitaria will ever see." The Selkie woman shook her head, cursing to herself in their native tongue about children making her wits leave her as she started to tear up. "It is something I should do with you."

"You will remain here, Kei Nam, where it's safe and where you are safe," the old woman smoothed out the sheets on the bed. "Why don't you think up a name?"

"I have. If it's a girl, I will name her after me, and if its a boy, I will name him after Vaigali." The captain laughed as she smiled and nodded her head. However the elder was not amused.

"You two are but fools. A child needs a proper name."

"I think those names are rather proper," Vaigali put a hand on the green haired Selkie's shoulder.

"And vain, and thoughtless." The old woman poured a glass of water from a pitcher beside the bed. "A child is its own person. Not an extension of you. It's the next generation. You may give them some part of you, but you should never try to mold them exactly into you. They will have their own thoughts, and ambitions, and hopes and dreams. If you try to take that from them, they will grow up to hate you."

The two Selkies listened to the old woman speak as she handed Kei Nam the glass. The green haired Selkie took it and sipped it rubbing the top of her stomach.

"Are you sure it's even a live… I haven't felt anything since this morning after that brew of your Andri."

"It's meant to make the process painless. And lucky for you that it is. You're having a long labor, but it would go so much smoother if you stayed in bed."

The woman leaned back and glanced up at Vaigali, "I won't see the battle, but you won't leave Heparl until I get to see it, won't you? All these years on this ship, if I don't see it-"

"We will walk into that lost vault together, the three of us. To claim it as our own." He reached down and squeezed her hand.

"…And then? Then what shall we do? Shall we take it and sale on to the next port? The next treasure map? All of that together? Or will you leave me at port like your crew leaves their families?"

"Do you want to be left at port, Kei Nam? I plan to sail on, to find a place to store the treasure and sail on."

The two looked at each other for a moment and the green haired Selkie sighed. "I haven't a clue. I thought I'd like to sail on and forever… But I guess it depends upon this child. Maybe I will stay behind. I think… I'd like to give them a solid place. A place to mark down on their skin to say they are from here. I don't want them to roam, lost like we do. A solid home. Don't you think that's good for child?"

"Now, those are the words of a parent," The old woman smiled, but Vaigali pulled back from her.

"A solid home is good for a child, but not for a pirate. I will take you wherever you desire Kei. …But I am afraid I will sail on. There is still more treasure out there yet to be found."

The green haired Selkie shook her head, the blue bandana rustling against the pillow. "There is more to life than the treasure of wealth you know? I think that I have found the greatest treasure, right here on the Izymael."

* * *

As promised by the end of day, the Izymael was approaching Heparl. The island was lost among dangerous reefs that surrounded the southern coast. Very few tried to sail here, as the shallow waters and jagged rocks made it nearly impossible to navigate the area safely. And as warned by De'Andri, the skies had blackened and were thick with wind and rain.

But the crew of the Izymael was not scared.

The treasure they were about to find would leave their mark in history. The ship was already infamous throughout the world, now it would sail on forever in the thoughts of generations to come. The hands on deck rushed to and fro pulling at ropes and securing canons and canvas mast as they sailed. Not an hour ago, before the rain became too thick to see through, the lookout had spotted another ship sailing up on them. There was always someone trying to make a profit off Vaigali's exploits. No one had yet to succeed.

He kept a firm grip on the ships helm and turned it, navigating through the storm entrenched reef. His crew members shouted to one another what was ahead and relayed it back to him to help him keep the ship aloft. It still amazed him, how close they actually where to the southern end of Alfitaria. Not too far from the very land he'd run away from. He's spent his whole career on the high seas looking for this treasure. And to think it was right under his nose this entire time.

From behind a man shouted, informing him the other ship was closing in. Vaigali shouted out to his crew to prepare for battle and ready the cannons. He wasn't going to be stopped, not this close to his dream.

Below the deck, far below the raging storm, Kei Nam and De'Andri attempted to deliver her child. The medication was wearing off, and now all the green haired Selkie could think about was the pain she was feeling. She screamed and cursed, and begged for the old woman to do something. To her it felt as if the demon was trying to break her body and two. Like the bones in her hips were going to be shattered apart and her whole body split down the middle.

"What a child, you are having, Kei Nam. It still has not come!"

"You have- you have- you HAVE to remove it, De'Andri! I cannot take this anymore!" She thrashed her head from side to side screaming. Above the sounds of cannon fire began. "Get it out. Cut me open if you must!"

"Kei, if we were on my island I would. But to do so here, I do not know if you would make it-"

"Will I make it like _this_!?" She leaned up and grabbed the old woman's arm. "Do _it_. Get _it OUT_." She let go of Selkie elder and sobbed as she strained. The old woman watched her and backed up. She would need a blade. All they had were Kei's assortment of swords. But she would need to sew her back up as well.

"Stay here," as she spoke the sounds of blast became louder and louder. "I will return once I get a needle from my room." The old Selkie hurried from the room just as Kei Nam screamed again.

Above the two women the Izymael dueled against a rival ship. A crew member worked the helm while Vaigali lead his men into battle against the rival pirates. They swung in on ropes to board his ship and blasted cannon balls back and forth blowing holes in one another's hulls. The captain of the vessel raised his arms high, shouting in Selkie to leave no survivors as he brought his blade down into the chest of man. Around him metal clashed and guns were fired.

The rain still raged on. The wind was blowing so hard the droplets were blowing sideways.

It was so dark from the storm, one could hardly see two feet in front of their face, it was only clear when the lightning flashed so brightly that the world lit up for an instant.

Every time it flashed all around him, Vaigali could see men fighting and falling. Guns firing and the sparks from two swords clanging. The Izymael rocked as it took on more cannon fire, the lower decks of the ship taking heavy damage allowing wind, and rain, and sea water to pour into the inner ship.

Kei Nam felt her room rock violently after the last blast. She had never been below for a battle. Always on deck fighting by Vaigali's side. She groaned and held her stomach, crying. "You stupid thing! Why are you doing this to me! Do you not want to be born! Do you want to die in there! Do you want us both to di-AAYE!" She was knocked from her bed by the next blast. It felt as if the whole ship was turned by it.

The green haired Selkie struggled to stand still crying and calling out to De'Andri. The old woman had never returned to her. As she stumbled toward the door she felt water on her feet. Kei opened her door and was mystified to see water running down the hall. When the lightning flashed the entire narrow passage way lit up. There must have been a hole in the ship. "De'Andri!" She ventured out into the damaged hall, the wind whipped up her gown and her ponytail. The blue bandana flapping wildly in the storm.

"De'Andri!" She gripped the wall and made her way down to the old woman's room. The closer she got the stronger the wind was, and the louder the storm became. She finally reached the Selkie elder's room. Or what was supposed to be it.

There was a gaping hole in the ship. The wind, the rain, and the smell of gunpowder poured into it. The wood was still crackling with bits of fire from the cannon ball that had collided with the ship, and the rooms contents were slowly sliding out into the ocean.

"DE'ANDRI!" Kei gripped the wall with her hands as the wind blew in. It nearly knocked her off her feet. She pulled herself back against the wall and let out a cry of terror. She started to move back to her room. Her back pressed against the wall as she cried. She cried from the pain, she cried from fright, and she cried from loss. The old leader of Leuda was gone.

Kei stumbled into her room and collapsed near the dresser still crying and holding onto her stomach. This couldn't go on. She couldn't go on. The child had to come out.

* * *

Vaigali and his crew continued to fight. The first mate of the rival ship lay at his feet, he'd sliced his blade across the man's throat after he'd sliced it a cross his right eye. The captain of the rival vessel was ramming the Izymael, trying to force them to run aground into one of the reefs. The two ships were firing now at point blank range. Their cannons tearing through each other's decks. Members of the Izymael had jumped ship and were fighting on board the other deck. The storm's winds were knocking people too close to the edge off into the shallow waters below.

The man at the helm turned the ship sharply as they came upon another reef breaching through the surface of the ocean. The Izymael rammed into the rival vessel, turning it and forcing it up onto the jagged land. The ship was wrecked against the reef, but not without a cost. The waters were too shallow for the infamous pirate ship. The jagged rocks just under the surface tore into the hull and let the salt water flood in.

As the ship turned away from the attacking vessel the men cheered. Vaigali raised his arms and let out a cry of triumph. There wasn't a ship yet that could best him and his crew. A man on deck called out for the captain's attention. They called him to the front of the deck. Just ahead when the lightning flashed an island could be seen. It stood with an ancient building, the ruins of an old city, now an old store house, was dead ahead. But the waters were near impossible to navigate. The flashing light revealed a myriad maze of coral, and rocks, and shipwreck vessels.

But still it was there. Just in the distance the treasure that he'd sought all his life.

"Press forward! We're almost to Heparl, lads!"

The crew members scattered to prepare for their approach to the lost treasure, but another came running up. "Vaigali! Captain, sir! We're taking on water!"

"It doesn't matter! We'll repair her once she's at the island!"

"But sir- there's so much of it! And the rocks continue to scrape up the ship!"

"You listen to me! We will keep moving forward until we reach Heparl or-"

"And half the living quarters are gone, Captain! Everything on the starboard side!"

"…What!?" He grabbed the crew member, "Are you certain!" The man nodded and Vaigali dropped him. He ran from the upper deck into the stairwell. He raced downward, the further he went the more damage he saw. There were Selkies trying to make patches in the hull, and people running and lying about hurt from cannon fire. It had never been this bad after battle before. He ran lower to see them shutting the doors to the starboard side trying to keep the rain out. He pushed past them ordering them to open it up.

Before him was a wrecked hallway. Indeed half the rooms were gone. Just gaping holes where they once were.

"Kei Nam!" He ran down the hall, the ship was slowly slanting from the water it was taking on. "Kei Nam! Answer me!" He arrived at the green haired Selkie's room to see the door hanging from its hinges. Inside the outer wall was gone, and the bed was missing. The elaborate dresser dangled, tittering about to fall into the ocean. The maps on the walls were fluttering madly in the breeze and the collection of swords was all but gone.

"KEI NAM!" He held onto the door way, the sight had nearly knocked him to his feet.

"…Vaigali…" He turned around. Just over the wind he could hear a female voice saying his name. He turned around. No one was there. "Vai… Vaigali…"

It was coming from the door behind him. He pushed himself across the hall and pushed open the damaged door. There was still a room here, though the wood was splitting in the walls, and the floor was covered with water. Water and blood.

Propped up against the far corner was the green haired Selkie swordswoman. Her ponytail had fallen out, her sea green hair was a tangled, red stained mess, and the pearls that had been in her hair rolled about the wet and bloodied floor. Her grown ripped was dyed crimson, the color was slowly spreading across her body, but draining from her face. In one hand she clutched one of her blades, a short sword covered in her own blood and what was left of the strand of pearls tangled up in her fingers. In the other hand her bandana wrapped around a bloodied squirming mass.

"Vaigali…"

"Kei…" He walked into the room. Though it was only a few steps he could have sworn he walked a mile.

She watched him cross the room, smiling, but her eyes looked dull. "…Heparl… Heparl… Did you make it…to Heparl…?"

He knelt down next to her and touched the side of her face. "Aye, we're almost there. The ships a bit worse for wear, but we'll walk in there together."

She let go of the sword and reached up to touch the right side of his face, a few more of the pearls falling from their strand "Your eye… Your eye is... marked up… Someone other than I cut into you…"

"Don't feel bad, Kei Nam. It was a cheap shot… I put him down, quickly."

She coughed and continued to smile, "After, after Heparl… Where will we sail to next? Are you- are you leaving me and him at port?"

"Him?"

"Yes… it's a him."

"…Kei Nam," Vaigali put his hand over hers, "I will sail you wherever you want to go."

"…" She closed her eyes, "I want to sail on and forever. I don't, I don't want to go…"

* * *

The Izymael never made it to Heparl. The crew, unable to get an answer from their captain about the ships distressed state opted to turn the vessel and make a break for the coast nearby. It was a risky voyage, and either by their own luck and ingenuity, or the grace of the Crystal they made it to the southern coast of Alfitaria. But by the time they reached it, the ship was near uncontrollable.

At best they could do was aim for an uninhabited cove and arrange a controlled crash.

When the storm ended, members of the crew ventured out to try and find aid for the wounded, or at least get a general feel for where they were. It took them all night, but they finally convinced their captain to leave the damaged ship and come out and survey where they had crashed. The Izymael had rammed into the cove at an angle, the front half of the ship slanted upward and the back half was still partly out to sea. However the constant ebb and flow of the tide was already steadily pushing the back in up and into the cove at an angel as well.

There were several natural tunnels leading in an out of the area and up to the top of the cliffs. The crew members and the captain walked through them just as the night was ending.

Vaigali still carried the blue bandana and newborn it was wrapped around. The blood on it had dried. The blood on him had dried as well.

They reached the top of the cliffs just as the dawn was breaking and looked out over the tropical southern coast line.

"We can get another ship, Captain." A Selkie spoke up. "We can go back to Heparl and-"

"We're not going back." Vaigali looked out over the ocean with his one good eye as the sun turned the dark waters crystal blue, the incoming waves bubbled up with sea foam. The lightest color of green.

"W-we're not?"

"We're not… No more treasure hunting for me boys. You all are free to go if you want… But I'll be staying here." The men looked back and forth at one another. "I think it's high time I made something solid for myself. Something to firmly keep and protect. Not all treasure is wealth, boys." He looked down at the baby boy in is arms.

"Isn't that right, Keiss?"


	2. Together in Crystal

**Summary**: A short drabble about Althea and Layle and their relationship long after the game.

**Characters: **Althea/Layle, OC/Althea

**Warnings:** Ship sinking

**Stand Alone One Shot**

* * *

**Together in Crystal**

* * *

There is an odd painting in the halls of the palace of Alfitaria. He'd noticed it every time he'd come to visit. It's not kept out on the floors that the public walk through, and its not kept up on the floors where the nobles come to pay their respects and attempt to charm favors from the Queen. It's placed far away from the eyes of many, along a hall of the kingdom's rulers. It's a painting of the Queen, though old and faded, and just a little bit cracked, as if no one has taken care of it for some time.

It hangs next to the late King. Though his picture is relatively new. Commissioned just before his death, its bright and pristine, and vibrant. While the Queen's is faded and dull.

And it bothers him. It bothers him so much. He can't help but stare at it every time he comes to call upon the Queen.

They're just friendly visits, is what they tell everyone. Not that anyone believes them. He comes to check in on her, and drag her from palace life if only for a few hours. They go out to Fountain Avenue, or hop a train and he forces her to spend the day at the beach. If he's lucky the Guild Master will quit going over train routes and trading ships to come see them. His right hand man, or rather woman, is always up for a trip to the beach. There is no need to strong arm her into going.

So while he waits for her to finish listening to the whims and attempted wooings of another Lilty nobleman come from across the sea, he stares at it.

It's clearly a picture of Althea. It looks just like her, down to the smile. But its so old, and forgotten, and unloved. It's origin drives the Crystal Bearer mad with curiosity.

He once caught her staring at it while she waited for him to come meet her. He wanted to ask her right then and there, what is the point of it. But the look on her face was so sad. She looked empty. Not like the Althea in the picture, happy and bright, even behind her faded color. No the Althea in the picture matched what everyone normally saw, the bright and happy Queen. Ready to put her mind to work for the kingdom; ready to argue with anyone who dared to tell her she could or could not do what she felt was in Alfitaria's best interest. Hardly anyone ever saw the Queen sad. Though he knew it happened, sometimes she'd cry on the train. Or stop laughing when they walked on Fountain Avenue.

And then always in front of the painting.

He put his hand on the wall under the picture and frowned at it. He was certain that the painting had to do with it. Her random moments of despair filtering through the smile she so often displayed. He half thought if he ripped it down, she'd never cry again.

Or maybe she'd cry forever.

"Layle."

He turned his head and took a step back from the wall. The Queen had arrived, though she was still in her royal dress. Usually Althea was wearing something much more simple for their outings. He supposed this meant that she wasn't going anywhere today.

Althea approached him, smiling just as brightly as she did in the painting. "Layle, I thought you got my message? But I suppose its hard for even a Mail Moogle to keep track of you."

He stuck his hands in his pockets, "You sent a letter? Ah, well, I guess I came to the capitol for nothing then. Can I ask what's keeping you in the palace this time?"

She slightly shrugged her shoulders, "Admiral Fitzroy wishes to have dinner with me this evening-"

"Didn't you tell him 'No' about fifteen times now?" He leaned forward slightly looking down at her. Despite how much time had passed, she was still shorter than him. She was the shortest of their group or friends. Though sometimes if she felt flustered about it, she'd argue her height didn't stop at the top of her head but at the top of her flower. Ever sense it had bloomed, it occasionally gave off a sweet smell. Oddly enough that was usually when she was mad about her height of all things. Or when she was happy and laughing with him in the streets.

"It's just a formal discussion about the navy, I know he knows better than to ask again."

"...Yeah, you said that after he asked you the tenth time."

She laughed at him. He always mocked her for the various nobles that tired to share the throne with her. It was somewhat endearing, but they both knew one day she was going to say yes to someone. Though so long as she desired to walk along Fountain Avenue, she'd keep saying no to every one that came to call. When she stopped laughing she caught Layle glancing up at the painting. Althea turned her eyes upward and stared at it.

For a few minutes there was silence. Time stopped as she stared at it. And while he stared at her.

"You should have it touched up... Or taken down." Layle spoke up. "I mean... It looks pretty bad, and its technically inaccurate. The flower is-"

"No." She cut him off shaking her head. "No, I don't want anyone to touch it. I'm worried it will come apart if they do..."

"...Althea... It's so old though. Can't you have another one made? Or replace it with a newer on-" He stopped when the Queen lowered her head. She put one hand on the wall and took a deep breath. "Althea?"

"I cannot. It's one of a kind, Layle. There aren't any others. I've tried looking, I've hired everyone I can think of to look. But this is it. Cid had the last one."

"Cid?"

"Yes. He had the last painting of Queen Alexis in the entire kingdom. I don't know what my father did with the rest."

"...The Queen?" He looked up at the painting, "Your mother? ...It looks-"

"Just like me, I know." Althea stood up straight and ran her finger tips under her eyes. She pushed away the beads of water building up there. "I know, I've heard it all my life. I look just like her... I think I looked too much like her." She paused for a moment. "Father got rid of everything after she died. Anything that had her image. That she owned. That made him think of her... He wouldn't even go out to her grave. I think the guilt of her accident consumed him. And when I started to look like her, I worried he'd git rid of me too..."

"Althea..." Layle put his hand on her shoulder.

"After he died, after he was gone, there wasn't anything of him left." She continued to look up at the painting of her mother, "I wanted to bury him next to her. But there was nothing. Jegran left nothing of him. Your battle left nothing of him... But this painting. This painting of her and him. They can hang together forever. To make up for all that time spent apart. It's the only other place they can be together."

"The only other?"

"Yes... Right here on this wall..." Althea put her hand over her chest. Right where her crystal used to shine, "And right here in my heart. And long after I'm gone, they'll still hang here. Together."

Layle didn't say anything for a moment. He looked up at the paintings and took in what she said. He didn't know what to tell her. He had no emotional attachment to his own parents, wherever they might be. For all he knew they could be dead. He was only attacked to Keiss, and Belle, and her. If one of them died, he had no idea how he'd handle it. But then again he always figured he'd died long before any of them. It was the way he lived after all.

"Layle," Althea spoke up and snapped him out of his thoughts. "I have to get going..."

"Of course..." He took his hand off her shoulder and she smiled at him. The same bright smile she was known for, "What about two weeks from now?"

"You're planning our next day together? You usually only give me twenty four hours notice." He shrugged and she chuckled, "I'll try to make sure no one needs me." Althea turned to walk away and Layle turned to head back down to the lower floors. As he started walking he passed a window, the Lilty Tribal Crystal caught the corner of his eye.

"Hey wait..." He turned around. "Althea, wait!" The Clavat ran back to her and grabbed her hand. "I have an idea!"

"Layle! I have to go- I have to get ready-"

"It won't take long!" He started to pull her, drag her the opposite direction. She shouted, but laughed, there was no resisting. Not that she cared to.

The Clavat took her down to the lower floors and out of the palace. He pulled her out into the gardens, even the guards didn't stop him. The learned a long time ago to just let him take the Queen when he wanted her. Trying to stop him just caused a huge mess. At least this time he seemed to be keeping her within the palace grounds.

Layle led her out to the center of the palace grounds to the base of the two large crystals, where everything glowed in a blue light.

"Layle!" Althea had to pull her hand free. She was out of breath and gasping. "What- what are we doing?"

"Here," He walked up to one of the crystal bases and started to circle around it. "This is what we are doing!" He dug through the bag at his side looking for something, what Althea didn't know. Finally he pulled out an assortment of odd bits from monsters he'd fought around the land. Among them was the end of a Behemoth's horn. "This will do."

Layle walked in between the bases, Althea followed; their bodies were covered in the soft blue light. "I don't, I don't understand..."

"Paintings fade..." Layle put his hand on the side of the Tribal Crystal, "And one day, you'll be gone. But these are here forever, right? Truly forever." He handed her the monster's horn. "So right here, you can put your mother and father. And they'll always be together."

Althea looked up at him, surprise on her face. She looked back down at the monster horn, the tip certainly was sharp.

"Didn't they say in history books, that the great crystal has everyone's fate inscribed in it. Everyone is written in the crystal, forever."

"It's not like you to say things like that..."

"It's not like me to care." He pulled his hand off the glowing rock, "But you care. So... I care."

Althea looked up at him again and smiled. She took a step forward and dragged the tip of the horn across the crystal's surface. It made a terrible sound, but it cut it. She kept at it, slowly writing the names of her parents across the surface. When she was done she took a step back and smiled.

"There," Layle put a hand on her shoulder. "This is truly forever now. They'll never be apart." He looked down at her, and her head was down again. With her free hand she'd covered her eyes. She didn't want him to see her cry. "...Althea..."

"Thank you, Layle." She pulled her hand away and smiled at him, tears still rolling down her cheeks. "Thank you, thank you for always being here for me."

The Clavat shrugged, "Althea, I'll always be here for you. Nothing could ever make me not be."

The Queen leaned forward up onto her toes and wrapped her arms around him. He returned the hug and she kissed him on the cheek.

"You promise, you'll always be here? Forever? Even after Alfitaria has a king?"

"...Even if there is a King, I still expect you to spend time with me."

She pulled back slightly to kiss him again. This time on the lips. Just short and simple.

It was never anything more than that when she did it.

Althea pulled back and nodded, "Two weeks." The Queen turned around and hurried off. She didn't look back but Layle could still see her trying to remove the tears from her face.

One week from that day there was an announcement that the Queen was engaged to the Admiral Fitzroy of the Alfitrain Navy.

One week from that day Althea waited for a date to Fountain Avenue that never took place.

One year from that day she waited in between the Lilty Tribal Crystal. She'd gotten a letter from Layle, who was all the way on the other side of the world, telling her to come down here before her wedding that afternoon.

Irresponsible and unpredictable, she'd only seen him a few times in the past twelve months. But they were both busy. Too busy for walks down Fountain Avenue. Too busy for beach days with the Guild Master and his informant. And Layle was too busy, playing hero for someone else, she was sure.

"Althea," she looked up to see Layle leaning against the Crystal. It startled her. She hadn't realized he'd gotten there.

"Layle!" The Queen's face lit up, a bright smile as always. She'd always smiled since that day. She couldn't think of a reason to be sad. "You're here! Does that mean you're coming?"

"Maybe," He shrugged. "I've got plans..."

"Oh, Layle... I wish you'd come. Everyone else will be there."

"I know." He motioned for her to come closer, "But in case I don't stay, I wanted to give you your gift." He pushed off the Crystal and put his hand on the rock. They were just opposite the other crystal. Right where she'd carved the names of her parents. She took a step forward and he took a step back to stand behind her.

At eye level for her, there was another carving on this side. A new one. Her name and his.

"If I should die, or everything else fades," Althea turned around, "We'll always be together, right here. Its truly forever, we'll never be really apart."

The Clavat was gone. To where she didn't know. Althea turned back around to look at the the names engraved there. She felt tears welling up in her eyes.

It'd been so long since she cried.


	3. The Court of Daemons

******A/N: **This story was inspired by sketches form NekoChronicles. If you haven't checked her work do it! There's a link to her page from her profile. If you can't find her profile, she's like the only one that's reviewed this little collection. XD

* * *

**The Court of Daemons**

* * *

**Summary:** Things go horribly wrong for Keiss and Layle during a mission and the Selkie must find away to save them from a nest of cunning Lizardmen.

**Characters: **Keiss, Layle

**Warnings: **Fighting, violence, injuries in detail

**Stand Alone One Shot**

* * *

The first thing he knew when he opened his eyes was that his body was alerting him to several points of pain pricking at his skin. Pricking at his skin, through his muscles, down to his bones. Everything on the right side of his body hurt. The pain made it hard to breathe. It felt like his chest was struggling against itself just to contain enough air for him to look around.

He tried lifting his arm only to find that made the pain worse. It shot through him setting all of his nerves on the right side of him on fire. He coughed and chocked down a startled gasp.

Just what had happened to him?

He rolled his head to the side to see the metal walls of his airship's cockpit still around him. In front the controls were sparking from broken panels and exposed wires. There was a bit of pale sunlight coming through the glass of the cracked windshield, though it was obstructed by the trunks and limbs of large pale petrified trees. A slight wind was blowing, coming through the broken door of the cockpit.

Did he crash it?

He blinked a few times realizing moisture was running down his face. This time he raised his left hand and touched the side of his skull. The blue bandana he wore around his head was wet, so was his hair, and the entire side of his face. He pulled his fingers back and rubbed his thumbs over the red, slick fluid. He couldn't help but lick his lips as he thrught about it, taking in just a bit of the liquid into his mouth, awakening all of his taste buds with the iron flavor.

Bleeding and crashed it.

"How long have I been lying here?" His voice sounded soft as he spoke, but it was still ragged. Tired and beat from the experience of slamming into the trees and from blacking out. What had caused him to crash his ship?

Again he tried to get up, a bit slower this time taking a deep breath, as deep as he could anyway, as he got up from the chair. He put his hand to the right side of his body knowing that that wouldn't ease the pain, but he had to fool himself into thinking it did. He managed to get up out of his seat and stumbled out the broken open door of his airship.

His wrecked Acote.

He fell down as soon as he was out, landing on his knees and extending his left hand forward to catch himself. He started coughing, even the short fall was jarring, and spitting up blood. His chest strained with each cough, probably a bruised or broken rib. Or two. He lifted his gaze, red eyes searching over the ship for the other occupant. There should have been another in the crow's nest. He would have thought that his partner would have done something to stop the ship from crashing.

He struggled up to his feet and leaned against the hull of his ship. Now that he was standing he could see that the ship still wasn't on the ground. It was suspended several dozen feet high in the air by the mighty limbs of petrified trees. A limb he was standing on right now. They crisscrossed high above the forest floor making a network of roads and pathways that animals could cross. Animals and monsters. The other occupants of places such as this.

He didn't want to be here for when the monsters crossed by.

"L-layle!" He shouted tilting his head back. He was trying to call up to the crow's nest to see if the other was awake. But no one answered.

"L-l-layle! Are you up there?" Still no answer. He sighed and shook his head. His red bangs were slowly staining a darker color as he moved about. He had to find his partner and treat his wounds and get out of here. He continued to lean up against the side of his ship as he forced himself to move forward toward the ladder up to the nest. Each step he took made every inch of his body cringe.

All he could do was try to think past it. Try to think about how he ended up here.

He remembered getting a contract in the mail from Cid, a request to fly out over the Selepation Forest and look into odd storms that had been brewing up in the area. He'd been warned to be careful as quite a few airships had gone down before, but he was a careful pilot. And between him and his partner, there wasn't anything that impossible for them to do.

Selepation was once a vast network of caves and underground tunnels that were homes to terrible creatures. Giant worms that tunneled through the ground and sucked in anything they could with great aeroga spells. Their magic was so strong that Clavats used to claim that they created the winds of the world. They were extinct now, though the tunnels they'd carved still existed, but had been swallowed up forests.

When the miasma all but cleared from the world, the Clavats of Fum began to use the open area to grow hardwood trees to use for building homes and expanding cities. The forest had been fantastic for logging, until the Lizard Men took it over. They drove out the loggers and the Clavats and made it their home. Oddly enough they continued to cultivate the forest expanding it and using their own monstrous magics to reinforce it into their own domain. They'd turned the trees to stone, making it impossible for anyone to cut them down and chase them out.

Lizardmen were viciously smart for monsters.

He took hold of the rungs on the ladder and started to pull himself up. He remembered his father used to tell him terrible stories about how smart Lizardmen could be. They studied other monsters and humans alike. The used Coeurls and Cockatrices as guard dogs; fought with swords and shields; built traps, and stole from villages. Sickeningly smart for a bunch of monsters.

That's why so few people fought them.

There were old bed time stories that the beast used to have their own fort in the days of caravans. That they had learned that humans sought out myrhh trees and so they built a fortress around one to capture humans and dine upon them.

He gasped as he pulled himself up into the seat on top of his airship.

The Acote was a stealth fighter built for two. It was an older model, and could use some work, but she was still a good ship. He fell into the seat and groaned.

No one was there. His partner wasn't there.

"L-ayle!" He screamed as loud as he could. This was exhausting. Where was the Clavat that had come with him on this mission? He couldn't have gone far. Layle was irresponsible, but he would never leave him wounded and beat up in the ship. He gasped for air and pulled his hand back from his side. Maybe he'd rest just a little bit, just tiny bit while he thought of where the Clavat could have gone.

Maybe he went to get help? With his powers he could easily get to the forest floor in no time.

However he could have taken him too. He tilted his head back. The Clavat was born a Crystal Bearer with the power over gravity. And he had come to find endless ways of using and exploiting that power. Not that he was complaining. Goodness knows he was grateful for the Clavat's abilities. They came in handy more often than he could count.

The red head sighed and closed his eyes. Where was the gravity Crystal Bearer now?

* * *

"-eiss-!"

He twitched in the crow's nest.

"Ke-!"

He let out a long sigh and gasped as he opened his eyes. The sunlight was gone. The forest was dark. When had it become night?

"-Keiss-!"

He must have fallen asleep. He tried to lift his head again, but his body was stiff. His muscles had cramped in on themselves from pain. He could barely move.

"K-eiss!"

But someone was calling his name. He was in such a daze, he could barely make it out it sounded a little gruff, but it sounded like Layle. He had to be nearby. If only he could manage to move. He had to will himself to uncurl from the position his body had pulled itself into. It was in his blood to be limber. All Selkies were. He had to will his body to regain that dexterity their limbs were known for. He slowly was able to move, unwrapping his arms from around his torso and able to pull his legs down from his chest. Just over the rim of the crow's nest he could see a light. A torch. Layle was coming back. Hopefully with help.

"T-thank the crystal…" Keiss slowly pulled himself to the rim of the nest ready to call back to his partner as he heard his name said again. But the relief he felt was quickly washed away by what he saw. He was expecting to see the familiar blond and cocky Clavat walking around the airship, but instead he saw a monster.

It stood four feet tall, not including the rim of long sharp scales rising up off of its head. Its body was covered in dark green scales, and its neck was long, accounting for at least a solid foot of its four feet of height. Its head bobbed as it walked and held its torch aloft in its clawed hands on the ends of short arms. With every step it took, its toes curled slightly, the long talons on the ends of its feet scratching at old dead tree. Its snout curled and its lips pulled up revealing sharp teeth and lashing tongue. And to his dismay the creature spoke.

"K-eissss!"

He shrank back down into the crow's nest. A Lizardman. A Lizardman was here and calling his name.

How did it know his name? It couldn't have guessed that information! It had to have learned it!

"Layle…" He muttered under his breath. Keiss raised his head again to see what the monster was doing. It was now poking its head into his airship and sniffing about. It was looking for him. Wonderful. But how did the Lizardmen come upon Layle? Had he fallen out of the ship when it fell? How did they crash? If only he could remember…

He watched as the monster pulled back and raised the torch sniffing the air, "Keiss-!"

It wasn't going to leave. And now it was sniffing its way over to the ladder. Keiss leaned back against the wall of the crow's nest and slowly pat himself down. Did he have any weapons on him? Any at all? He could hear the sound of the Lizard's talons tapping against the metal of the ship as it climbed up towards him. Keiss felt his hand gun still tucked in the inner lining of his leg armor. He slowly drew it out as the light from the torch grew closer, slowly illuminating his hiding place. He pushed himself down further trying to escape the light with the shrinking darkness. The Lizardman was still uttering his name with its mimicry of Layle's voice.

His fingers struggled with the weapon as he tried to hold it steady and release the safety. His blood and dirt smeared fingers strained with the simple task. The pain in his right arm made it almost impossible to complete, and his anxiousness over the approaching monster made him shake that much more. The first hand of the Lizardman gripped the edge of the seat as it hissed his name once more. The gun clicked and the light stopped.

Keiss raised his head and gulped looking up at the rim of the crow's nest. For a moment nothing moved until he saw the Lizard's face rise up suddenly over the edge of the seat. Its mouth was wide open, all of its sharp and yellowed teeth exposed. The creature's hot and rancid breath washed over the crow's nest and the Selkie's face. It was enough to bring tears to his eyes. The monster let out a mangled roar of his name and Keiss fired. He fired right down the monster's throat, his shot tearing through the back of its head. The Lizard cried and its tongue lashed about as it fell from the ladder.

It fell and hit the branch of three thrashing and wailing. Keiss pulled himself up and fired down at the monster two more times ending its life.

The torch lay beside it slowly flickering. In its orangish light he could see that the Lizard's crude armor was adorned with a familiar pair of smoke tinted goggles. He let out a deep sigh and looked out into the pitch black forest.

"Layle… Just what did you get yourself into?"

* * *

Keiss managed to climb down from the crow's nest and decided he was going to have to rescue Layle from wherever it was the Lizards had dragged him off to. It took him an hour of searching but he managed to find the medical kit he kept in the ship. It came with the basic Selkie treatment supplies. A few bandages, some rubbing alcohol, and a large bottle of Cactuar Juice. He remembered the last time he had to patch himself up out in the field. Layle was there to help him, though the Clavat questioned why the Cactuar Juice was needed. And Keiss had told him it was for severe pain.

As he drank from the bottle he thought to himself there was no pain more severe than this. The Juice itself was supposed to be mixed with something, never taken straight, but he didn't have time. Nor did he care. The red head had shed his shirt to inspect his body, he was covered in cuts and beep bruises along the right side of his torso. The process of treating himself was almost as painful as being hurt to being with. He held the bottle of Juice in one hand and dumped the rubbing alcohol over his cuts with the other. The burning it caused made his nerves tingle long after. He pulled out bandages and gauze and ripped them with his teeth to patch up his simple wounds and wrap up his ribs. He found that with no stitches for the deeper cuts the easiest thing to do was to heat up one of his knives over the torch and press it to his skin.

And to chug the Juice to keep from crying out.

By the time he was patched up he was sure he looked worse than before he started.

The Selkie then searched the Lizard hoping to find clues on where to go. To his surprise he did find a map. It seemed out lay out a path across the tree tops to a location deep in the forest. With the Cactuar Juice numbing his body and his wounds crudely patched up he gathered up what weapons he had, Layle's goggles and the torch and started into the forest.

* * *

He wasn't sure for how long he walked before he saw signs he was on the right path. Eventually he started to see torches in the trees and opted to put out his own. As a former Guild Member he knew better than to rely on something that could give away his position. He was sneaking into enemy territory and pulling off a rescue. He couldn't afford to be found out, not until the last possible moment.

Keiss kept close to the tree trunks and took the branches under the lit paths when he could. The shadows were his best weapon the closer and closer he got to his destination. Especially since the further in he went, the more Lizardmen he saw.

The creatures communicated by hissing and snarling at each other. They carried weapons and sported armor stolen from the corpses of men they'd slain. They'd built look outs and stations into the trees from airship husk and wagon bits they'd hauled up into the tree tops. Some of them walked with Coeurls and Cockatrices on chains as they made their rounds.

There was an entire society of them up here in the trees. Devoted to scavenging off humans and devouring whatever they could get their clawed hands on.

What if they'd devoured Layle?

Keiss shook his head and took another swig from his bottle. The Juice was almost gone.

He ran his hand over the bandages around his ribs and his right arm. They didn't hurt any more, which was good for him. Soon he'd be fighting and he didn't want the pain to slow him down. And while he had made it to the Lizardmen's camp, he had no idea where to find the Crystal Bearer.

As if fate was answering his question, there came a loud roar that caused all of the Lizards to turn their heads. Slowly they all moved deeper into the camp. Keiss watched them form his hiding place. He could swear that as they were marching he felt the wind pick up.

The Selkie followed them, making sure to hang back in the shadows as he followed the waves of monsters to the center of their camp. Here they had fashioned a large platform made up of metal and wood from the various object they'd collected over the years. The platform made a giant circle with a massive hole in the middle. The branches of the trees seemed to have been cut and torn away both above the platform and below it, though Keiss was uncertain how. He slowly climbed up higher in the trees to get a good look at the area.

He might not have felt the pain any more, but he could still tell his movements were slow.

Once he was high enough to look out over the large gathering of Lizardmen something about the sight seemed familiar. In the center of the platform, the large vacant circle dropped off into nothing; there was one lone rope that stretched across the top of it. Keiss could make out the shadows of tree trunks in the torch lights, but they were also obscured by rocks, and twisted together like they had fallen over and stacked up over the years. He could have sworn he'd seen it before, but from much much higher. It was an unusual sight to say the least.

Not to mention there seemed to be a steady breeze coming up from the hole. It caused his hair to whip around and the lights to flicker.

Again there was a loud roar, and Keiss turned his attention to the far end of the circle. A large Lizardman had entered the area. He stood at least three times as tall as the others, his scales were red like fire and he was adorned with armor molded from the helms of airships. A large horn grew out from the top of his snout and he carried what looked like an old Gatling Gun from a fighter plane for a weapon. He let out a mighty roar and the others responded by raising their weapons and crying back at him.

The wind bursting up from the hole seemed to swell.

Off to the side there was a commotion as a group of Lizards brought forth a wagon carrying, what looked like to Keiss, an assortment of odd statues. The Selkie looked around before climbing higher still to get a good look at what they were up to.

He watched as they unloaded several statues of animals collected from the forest floor and the surrounding farms. The entire time the wind was picking up, causing the platform to shake and the trees to creak. A Lizardman carrying a staff and a bag at his side came forward as the others loaded the stone carvings onto a wooden platform. Keiss watched as they hooked it onto the rope that ran over the middle of the circle and started to pull. As the platform slowly pulled away from the ledge the Lizardman with the staff waved it over the statues and threw some powder over them.

The statues slowly started to crumble and shake. With each passing second they changed from rock sculptures to living creatures. They weren't statues at all. But animals petrified by the power of the Cockatrices the Lizardman kept. The animals were trapped on the platform dangling up high over the pit. As the gust of wind grew stronger it shook and the beast cried out. Frantically they moved about trying to steady themselves until finally a cow stolen form a farm was knocked off. It fell into the pit its mournful cry echoed long after it disappeared.

Until it abruptly stopped.

Keiss thought it had hit the bottom, until a nother great swell of wind burst up from the hole tilting the entire platform. The animals started to fall in and nearly all the torches were extinguished from the gust. But before they could disappear from sight something horrible rose up from the pit. A large monster. A horrible worm like creature, with grey skin, spiraled horns growing from its sides and great gaping mouth of gnashing, churning teeth rose up from the darkness. From its mouth it was casting a great aero spell that whipped around the area, even dragging in a few Lizards that were too close to the edge. It sucked the animals in to their deaths before it receded into the pit.

The giant red lizard cheered and so did its followers.

Keiss shakily took another swig form his bottle.

A Great Worm. He'd thought they were extinct. How long had it been here? How long had they been feeding it? Why were they feeding it?

Did he really want to know?

He looked up at the night sky over head gasped. The aero spell the worm had cast had caused the clouds over head to twist and turn. It looked as if the winds themselves were slowly taking the shape of a funnel. Another gust from it and a storm would surly form.

"A storm that would knock us out of the sky…" Keiss looked back down at the circle. Now he knew why he'd seen it before. He'd flown over it earlier that day. "The Lizards are making storms… That's what caused me to crash-"

Before he could finish his thought the Lizards were getting ready to feed the worm again. Keiss turned his attention back to the wagon as they unloaded another statue. This one was wrapped up and weighted down with chains. He didn't understand why at first until the Lizard holding it set it down. Even from this distance he knew who it was.

"Layle!" He leaned forward form his hiding place. Certainly the statue was the Clavat frozen in mid battle, down on one knee. The Lizards had prepared ahead for his release by wrapping him up. As they brought forward the next platform the Selkie started to panic.

What was he going to do?

They were going to feed Layle to that worm and he was all the way over here. He was too far away to help him, and too wounded, and outnumbered. What was he going to do?

"…What would Layle do if it was me down there?"

Keiss reached into his pocket and pulled out his gun. "He'd tell me to handle it solo- but…" The Selkie raised his gun and took aim for the pouch at the Lizard Wizard's side. "He can't handle it if he's turned to stone!" Just as the monsters were sliding the Clavat onto the platform Keiss fired his gun.

The bullet tore through the Lizards pouch spraying the powder within everywhere. Due to the winds coming up from the pit it was carried across the area. The Lizards at once started to roar and search for the location of the shooter. Keiss pulled back and pressed himself against the tree he was hiding in, but it was too late. A few had seen him and were pointing and snarling. The nearest group started to rush the trunk of the tree. The Selkie drew his sword ready to fight them off.

Just as one climbed up over the branches he swung his blade down into its head. Keiss kicked the creatures face to knock it back down as two more climbed up over the branches. Once swung a club at him, the other its claws. He managed to avoid the club but the other's talons ripped into the bandages on his arms. He hissed at them and made a broad sweeping motion with his weapon chopping off the tops of their large finned scales.

More and more were climbing the tree trying to get at him. And he was certain he was done for until he heard another roar. Back at the pit the Lizards where shrieking and crying out as they were being knocked into the pit. Keiss could see burst of blue light sending them flying up into the air.

Layle was back.

And while the Clavat's limbs were held down to his body by pounds of chains that didn't stop him from ramming into Lizards and kicking them with burst of magic to get them out of his way. Keiss could hear him shouting his name at the top of his lungs. The Clavat must have been calling for him when he was stoned as well. That's where the Lizards learned to imitate his voice. Keiss pushed off the tree and jumped down into the mass of Lizards. He held his sword's blade down and let it sink into the face of the monster that was unlucky enough to be where he landed.

He ripped the blade out and started running for Layle. The Clavat was also making his way toward him. The Lizards he tossed into the pit caused the Great Cave Worm to stir again. It created another spell sucking in more of the Lizardmen and petrified animals that ran to close to the edge. The monsters' leader let out a mighty roar and started to open fire across the pit trying to shoot Layle. He shot his own men causing them to fall into the pit and tore up the platforms around the circle.

Layle jumped and started to use the heads of the falling Lizardmen as stepping stones to get away.

"Keiss!" The Clavat could see the red head fighting his way towards him past Lizards and their pets.

"Hang on! Just hang on!" The Selkie ran forward and sank his sword into the nose of a Lizard. He used him to vault himself forward and fly over the group. He landed just feet away from Layle as the edges of the platform finally broke away, causing the Clavat and the group of Lizardmen he was fighting through to fall over to tumble.

Layle struggled to pull even just one arm free from the chains. But the fact of the matter was he was just as hurt as Keiss. He hadn't gotten out of the crash unscathed. In fact he had been thrown from the ship when it went down. The branches of the petrified trees had been gracious enough to cut up his face and his legs. His already faded and worn jeans were torn and smeared with dried blood from the cuts he'd sustained during his fall. Not to mention the additional stabs he'd received from the angry Lizardmen he fell into. He was sure the experience had broken his left arm; the more he tried to pull free the more it hurt. He could hear the bone twisting and grinding as he fought, and the feeling of it rubbing against its broken pieces sent a terrible pain through him. His left hand felt numb, at least what he could feel of it, only reinforcing the fact that something was broken underneath all those chains. But he had to fight through the pain and numbness to get free.

However now he was dropping. And with his arms bound and busted he didn't think he could catch himself.

The Clavat screamed his partner's name again and felt his drop come to sudden halt. The chains wound around his torso pulled tight and he let out a gasp of pain as they rattled his broken bones yet again.

Keiss struggled to hold onto him. He had one hand on the hilt of his sword, whose blade he'd buried into the platform and his other hand had grabbed Layle's chains.

"H-hold on!"

"Hold on to what!" Layle shouted at him. The Lizards started to charge at where they were hanging on for dear life and down below Layle could see the Worm coming up for another meal. "I've got an idea!"

"Great!"

"Drop us into the pit!"

"…Are you _fucking stupid_!?"

"Just! Do! It!" Layle looked over his shoulder at the Selkie. Keiss yanked at his sword and pulled it out of the wood. A few Lizards swung their clubs at him as he dropped down into the pit striking him in the back of his ribs. He let out holler of pain as he felt another one crack.

Layle stretched out his legs focusing his magic downward. As the worm opened its mouth to cast an aero spell Layle met its magic with his own. Though by far the Cave Worm's spell covered a larger area, Layle had more than enough adrenaline coursing through him to match the strength of the massive aeroga spell. When the two collided it created a barrier that shot both the Clavat and his Selkie partner upward. The Worm however was pushed down. Its own spell rebounded of the shield and was pushed back into the creature's mouth. The force of the spell tore through the worm causing it to tear apart from the inside out. Its body rocked and crashed into the sides of the pit taking out more of the platform. Keiss and Layle soared upward and over the destruction.

The Lizardman King raised his gun and fired at the two as they were falling through the air and as the platform was crumbling beneath his feet.

Keiss pulled himself closer to Layle and wrapped his arms around the Clavat as he created a shield with his magic to protect them. The force of the bullets from the gun knocked them off course and the two came crashing down into the trees.

Every injury they had from the crash of the Acote was reawakened as they collided with the branches.

The two finally stopped falling and struggled to look up. The Lizard King, his followers and the platform were all gone. Bits and pieces of it were still falling off from the tree tops, and a few Lizards could be seen struggling to hang on here and there before they fell off.

The boys panted, and coughed, and in Layle's case spit up blood at least once.

They both sat still for a long time just staring at the pit and taking in the silence.

And the fact that the wind had stopped blowing.


	4. The Dark

**The Dark**

* * *

**Summary**: While exploring an old ruin, Layle and Belle encounter an ancient monster, still holding onto old grudges from Caravans past.

**Charaters: **Belle/Layle

**Warnings: **Violence, fighting, injury in detail, a bit of fluff

**Stand Alone Oneshot**

* * *

The sun set was just getting underway, setting the light blue sky on fire with colors of orange and red and pink. What clouds there were, were slowly tinting to match burning colors of the sky, and off in the distance the night was creeping across the heavens. Slowly driving back the sun and its rays, and tainting the bright vibrant colors of the world with an inky tint. The room of the old ruin they were in had no roof to it, so the passage of time was visible to them. All around the shadows on the rubbled walls grew longer and darker as the sun faded away.

Soon it would be too dark to see without a torch light of some kind; which would be fine, if not for this delicate work.

Were they close to a city it wouldn't matter; the street lights would come on, they could check into an inn or rest up at a bar. However as it was, they were far from a city. The closest town was Red Leaf, and to start heading that way now, it would take until morning to reach there.

Besides it wasn't a good idea to travel so far with a gaping wound. But she was trying to fix that.

"Hold still," the girl muttered under her breath. She'd been working at this for a little over ten minutes now. Usually such a task was not for her. It was messy, and somewhat nauseating. Her fingers were stained red from blood down to her knuckles. It was under her nails and all over her palms. And there was more of it still, spotted across her blouse. And then there was the cut itself, what was steadily bleeding over the both of them, that was just as red as her hands. But it was different. She tried to understand how bright and vibrant the color was, yet how the skin around it seemed to pale in comparison; the muscles tensed in the open air and at every prick form the needle in her hands, each jab seemed to make them a brighter red than they were before. And under all those constant shades of crimson she could see what she thought was the white of a bone.

"Ow!" He jerked away from her, "What are you trying to do? Close it up and make it worse?"

"Layle, I swear if you don't hold still!" She grabbed his shoulder and held him still. "I'm almost done!"

"So much for a 'Selkie nursing technique'," he teased at her as she pulled him back into a sitting position. "You're worse than Keiss at this."

"I'm sure you give Keiss plenty of practice," the brunette continued to do her best at stitching up the cut that tore into the young man's right shoulder. It was technically her fault it had happened in the first place. So she felt she should be the one to mend it. Or at least make it so he wasn't bleeding out for the rest of the night. "…This would go a lot smoother is I had some Ochu Nectar."

"What is it with Selkies and near poisonous monster toxins for alcoholic drinks? And further more using those drinks for injuries?"

"Ochu Nectar slows down your bleeding. Cactuar Juice numbs the nerves. It really is a nursing technique. Useful for sailors-"

"-You mean pirates?" He interrupted her and she jabbed at him a little harder than needed for the next stitch.

"-For sailors out in open water. Especially if you have to amputate."

"Belle, you are not cutting any of my limbs off." He turned his head to look at her; the crystal embedded in his cheek glimmered in the sun's fading light. She smirked at him in response. They both knew the cut wasn't deep enough for anything like that. It was just a deep jab from a Blazer Beetle. They were simple enemies to fight, no worry at all really. But, she had been more focused on the chest before her than the monsters pouring into the room.

And so she offered to stitch up the cut. But that didn't stop her from being herself. She was sure he appreciated at least that much. Sometimes it was hard to read what the Clavat was thinking. Belle had come to figure out most of what his mannerism or lack thereof meant. Keiss had told her it took time, but there was a pattern to it. She thought maybe he was pulling her leg, but he was right. There was a pattern to reading Layle.

Sometimes she still fumbled along with it, but the more time they spent together, the easier it was. And she was positive it was easier for him as well.

When they first started taking missions from the Guild Master together it was, rocky, to say the least. There were fights. There were complaints. There was adamant refusal on his part to look after her while out in the field. But she would have to say, it had to have been sometime around two months ago, that it started to work out. But Keiss did warn her it took a few months for it to work out for him too.

"Are you done yet?" The blond spoke up. "If we sit here much longer, we're going to be found by more monsters."

"Relax, will you. You cleared this place out." She rolled her eyes and poked at what was left of the open wound making him flinch, "Besides, it would go a lot faster if you stopped moving." Belle continued to poke into his skin with the sharp end needle. It was slightly curved, allowing her to pierce into his flesh on one end and pull out through the other in one swoop. The line of the stitches crisscrossed over the wound as moved along.

He really shouldn't have been hurt at all. If he had had his jacket on the Beetle's horn wouldn't have even touched him. But of course she was wearing his jacket.

From the time they got to the ruined mansion he'd given it to her. He often made her wear it if they were exploring someplace he was unfamiliar with. The two were there on a simple mission Keiss had received from Queen Althea. A group of archeologist had been driven out of this ruin by strange monsters that had moved into the area. Althea had wanted to send in armed troops but worried their weapons would damage any historical finds. And so the Guild Master offered to send Layle to clear out the monsters and Belle just to document anything of interest they came across. When the two had arrived, they didn't find anything unusual about the place. Other than that the ruined mansion seemed very large, but the monsters were the typical plains dwelling lot.

What caught them off guard was that the ruin looked like an old estate. It was crumbling, half overrun by trees that were growing up through its floors, and covered in vines, but it was clearly a house at some point in time. A very large house. They had run across what looked like an iron pot, encrusted with rust and stone in one room that was big enough to fit half a train car in. To them that's what was weird about this place.

"Done!" She pulled back and he stood up. She watched the Clavat rotate his arm a few times before he turned around to face her.

"Not bad," Layle reached over to pick up his shirt.

Belle shrugged and turned her head to the side, but to herself she was fighting the urge to tell him he didn't look so bad either.

"Alright, the monsters are gone, and it's getting dark, so let's set up cam-"

"Outside again?" She let her head roll back and sighed. "I swear, let's just make the trek back to town and sleep in tomorrow."

He held out her hand to her, "Come on, Belle. We are not walking back in the dark."

She took his hand, "We wouldn't have to walk if Keiss had let us take his airship."

The Clavat held onto her as they made their way through the old ruined rooms. By now there was barely any light, and it was getting harder and harder to see. However Layle insisted they find a safe place to rest for the night. He kept one hand on Belle and carried their supplies in his other. The Selkie girl had a bag of her own that she had been using to collect artifacts in. The Clavat led them across what they presumed had been a court yard at some point in time back over to the room with the large pot. Here there was a raised platform in the middle of the room; it was where Layle wanted to set up for the night.

"Why here? This room is the creepiest; you can't even see the sky…" Belle looked up. This room had the most roof to it still, and what was broken had tree branches through it.

"Because we can be up high here. If any more monsters come through, we'll be over them. It's an advantage." Layle raised his hand and caught hold of the end of the platform with his powers and pulled himself up. At some point in time the platform was probably wood, but time and weather had petrified it into an ugly slab of stone. "You ready!?" he shouted back down at her.

"I am _never_ ready for this," she wrapped her arms around her bag getting ready for what came next. A blue light encased her body and she felt herself lift upward from the ground. It didn't matter how many times he picked her up, the sensation still made her stomach lurch. At least he had finally learned to warn her.

The Crystal Bearer pulled her upwards and over so that she could put her feet down on the petrified wood. She half expected him to catch her like usual, but this time he set her down on her own two feet. The brunette silently eyed him as if asking why the change? Was it because of his shoulder? But Layle was already moving on to set up their camp for the night. The girl sighed and followed behind him.

* * *

Belle set up a fire while Layle set their tent. There was only room for one, and he always let her sleep in it. She used to tease him about staying out while she slept, and while it had resulted in a few funny arguments, she eventually let up. Partly because he finally told her one night he was going to toss the tent with her in it, and the rest was because he never did enter it.

"They're called hints, idiot…"

"What?" Layle walked over to her and she looked up shaking her head.

"Nothing. Nothing at all!" Belle leaned back as the fire sparked up. She smiled at him in the way that she usually did when she was hiding something. But Layle let it slide. He sat down next to her and pulled out what they had brought along to eat. Nothing fancy, just a few boxed meals to feed their hunger.

It was completely dark now other than the light from their camp fire.

"You really should get a Yuke to teach you a fire spell, you know, so you can get this started faster."

"Why don't you learn one?"

"I don't need to learn one." He raised his fist and let a gravity spell flicker around it. "I have all the magic I need."

"Well I'm not learning, fire. So you'll just have to learn to wait." Layle shook his head and the two continued to eat.

They ate mostly in silence, occasionally Belle would speak up and make a comment about the day, but for the most part it was quiet outside of the crackling of the wood on the fire. The quietness used to annoy her. She would incessantly gab to get a rise out of the Bearer, but as she spent more time with him, the quiet came to be something she enjoyed. It was weird to think, but when he was quiet was when she felt Layle was the most honest with her.

And in a place like this, it was very quiet. There wasn't even a sound of monster prowling about. Just the fire, the occasional sound of the wind outside rustling the trees, and every now and again a faint pounding. Maybe that was her heart? No, the more she listened the more she felt it was a stomping really.

"…Layle, do you hear-"

"Yeah." He didn't even look at her. The Clavat's eyes were focused on the doorway they'd come through. There was a pounding. Like something was stomping around outside in the court yard. But they couldn't see what it was. It was completely dark. The Clavat raised his hand and encased the fire in a gravity field.

"Layle, what are you-" before she could finish he flicked his hand and the fire was snuffed out. Belle's eyes struggled to try and see with what last remnants of light were swallowed up by the night. She felt he Clavat's arm reach around her and pull her towards him.

"Don't say anything…" He whispered into her ear.

She nodded, though she knew he couldn't see it. Layle didn't take his arm from around her. Perhaps to keep track of where she was in the dark or maybe to keep her calm. Whatever the reason she was glad he didn't as the sound became louder. The brunette reached up with her own hand and grabbed onto his shirt. The obvious stomping was causing the trees in the room to shake. It was causing most everything in the room to shake, including her. Belle looked at Layle; somehow the crystal in his cheek was still slightly visible. Even without a light source it glimmered.

Her eyes became trained on the light, the only thing she had to keep her calm as something was coming their way. There shouldn't be any giant sized monsters out this way, but clearly, there was one here. She wondered if Layle would be alright to face it with his injured shoulder.

The stomping was now just beyond the door. Belle felt Layle's hand squeeze her side, just as something moved off in the darkness. In the doorway the two could make out two large round objects. They were slightly red in color, and like Layle's crystal, they had their own shimmer in the darkness. If before she had thought the stomping was her heartbeat, now she knew that the silence that filled the air was from her heart stopping.

The two round red orbs hovered there.

The silence of the night occasionally stirred when a loud snort and a growl could be heard.

Neither Layle nor she, nor whatever it was moved. Though she was sure it was looking right at them. There was no way that monster couldn't see them sitting there. Monsters weren't impaired by the dark like they were. She knew if not for Layle's grip on her she'd have run. The panic building up in her chest, smothering out her heart beat, would not have permitted her to stay there.

The next thing she knew she felt the platform shake as the stomping picked up again. The red orbs drew closer.

It was entering the room, but Layle didn't move.

Again, the surface they were sitting on shook and the creature snorted and snarled. Even from here Belle could smell its breath. Her hand tightened on Layle's shirt, but the Clavat didn't move.

Another step forward. Now its eyes were at the end of the platform.

She pulled at Layle's shirt, still not speaking, but she wanted desperately to tell him they needed to run.

In the darkness, her eyes struggled to make out what was before them; she could barely see the outlines of a long twisted mane and horns rising up off its head. Suddenly there was another movement. Something large rose up, but before her mind could focus on it, it came crashing down onto the surface they were sitting on. It sent shock waves through the platform causing both of them to fly up into the air.

Belle shrieked as her body lifted upward. But Layle held onto her. She felt a gravity field enclose her body and slow her descent back down to earth. The large monster roared and the sounds of its fist hitting the surface rang throughout the room. When the two landed, they found their camping ground was shaking like an earthquake was taking place. Layle still held onto Belle and the Selkie's fist twisted into his shirt.

She couldn't stop screaming.

Finally there was another large tremor as the monster hoisted itself up onto the surface. Belle had no idea what was going, but Layle seemed to understand they needed to finally move.

"Come on!" The Clavat stood and dragged her up. He started to run toward what she assumed was safety. Behind her there was another stomp. The monster had tried to crush them. She looked back, even though she knew she couldn't see it, but thought she could make out was looked like a large shoe on the table. "Hang on!" Belle felt her body lurch forward and fall as Layle jumped from the raised surface. The Selkie girl held onto his hand as the fell, and stumbled when they hit the ground.

Up above the monster roared.

"This way!" Layle yanked her as he ran under the platform. The monster jumped down and again began to pound the ground angrily. The entire ancient floor shook from its attack. Overhead Belle could hear things falling out of the trees and crashing all around. Layle finally let go of her hand and Belle screamed at him.

"What are you doing!?"

"Stay under here!"

"No!" She looked around frantically. She could see the glinting crystal in his face moving away from her. "Layle don't fight that thing!"

Belle wrapped her arms around her and clung to the ends of his jacket. She pulled it tight around her body. As the Clavat turned his head away, the crystal was no longer visible and she lost track of him in the darkness. Even though she couldn't see him, she could still hear what was going on. Not to mention the monster's large size caused the room to shake with its every movement. Belle continued to cling to Layle's chainmail jacket as she turned around in place trying to see what was going on.

She caught flashes of gravity spells and glimpses of Layle's crystal glittering in the darkness. When the monster and his magic collided she could vaguely see its form in the pale blue light. Large grey and purplish fur covered hands. Massive feet that looked like they were adorned with fancy black slippers. It didn't make much sense, but nothing in this place seemed to.

"Oh, Crystal- please, please don't let that thing smash him!" The Selkie ran her hands through her hair as she felt the ground shake from the monster pounding the floor again. This time its belligerent assault on the floor was followed by a shout from the Clavat. After that Belle thought she heard the sound of something hitting the old iron pot. "…Layle?" The Clavat didn't answer her. "Layle!" Again the stomping started up and Belle covered her mouth.

Suddenly the floor started to shake again, but not like before. Not from the beast banging on the ground. It was shaking because it was being ripped apart. Specifically the platform over her head was being ripped up from where years of weather and time had cemented it to the ground. The girl covered her head in fright and screamed for the Clavat again, but he didn't respond.

The platform over her head was lurched up from the floor and tossed to the side. It crashed into one of the old walls causing it to crack and split; a part of it crumbled away. Belle lifted her head as light from stars in the night sky started to filter into the room. She turned her gaze upward to see the pale evening lights streaking across the monster's face.

It was covered in grey and purple fur. Its red eyes were surrounded by a thick grey main that seemed to twist and curl like a mustache, eyebrows, and beard. The rest of it bushed out around its head and coming from the top of its skull were two long curved golden like horns. Belle gasped and opened her mouth to scream but nothing came out. The beast raised its large fist to her, its fingers curling in slowly.

She told herself she had to run, but she couldn't move. She had never seen anything like that monster before her. All she could do was look up into its red eyes as it bared its teeth at her and swung its hand down.

The Selkie maiden turned her head away and screamed. She expected to die. Tomorrow flashed before her eyes of soldiers finding her splattered into the floor. And Layle would be there kneeling over what was left of her broken hearted over all the things they never said. Or maybe they'd find him too crush in some corner of the room. And it would be Keiss and Althea that came to mourn them, lost to the ruins ancient occupant.

But tomorrow wouldn't be that way.

The monster's blow never came.

Instead she heard an impact. The sound of something being struck and a gust of wind that nearly knocked her off her feet. Belle stumbled forward and turned to see Layle between her and the monster. The Clavat had both his hands up and was using his magic to catch its blow.

"B-B-elle!" He looked over his shoulder at her. The monster brought down its second fist and the Clavat shifted back in his position, but didn't break his shield. "Run!"

The Selkie looked up at the monster. Both of its hands were trapped, but it was still pushing. It was slowly pushing Layle back.

"No!" she got up and wrapped her arms around Layle from behind. "I will not!"

"D-dammit, Belle!" Layle looked back up at the monster. It was struggling to crush them. But he couldn't let it. For whatever reason Belle wasn't going to leave him. Maybe she was too stupid to save herself or maybe she was too scared to leave. Or maybe she was too worried for him to turn away.

Whatever the reason, as she tightened her grip around him the Clavat pushed forward. He took a step forward and pushed back against the monster's fist. He heard the beast snarl and shove forward again. From behind Layle could feel Belle pushing forward as well. The side of her face was pressed into his back and her feet were skidding along the ground where she was trying not to budge.

Again Layle pushed up and onward with his powers. His heart was racing. He couldn't lose. If it was just him, he could survive, but it wasn't just him. And he wouldn't let anything happen to the Selkie. He adamantly refused to.

The spell wrapped around the giant monster's hands was slowly growing.

Together Belle and Layle pushed forward again. And again. With each step they made the spell grew and grew until it wrapped around the monster's arms. Layle grinned manically at the sight and pulled his arms back. The monster roared as it was pulled with Layle's spell. It was pulled right up off the ground and over the Clavat's head.

The brunette Selkie looked up astonished that he could do such a thing. Really, she knew deep down she shouldn't have been amazed, but she was.

Layle pushed upward one more time and encased the entire monster in a gravity field. With one great heave, he threw it forward. The monster went flying, crashing through the walls of the ruin, tumbling head over heels as the large stone structures were knocked down. When it finally landed ancient bricks, stones, and trees fell over crushing it and pinning it to the ground. The Clavat and the Selkie were certain it was dead.

The two looked on, taking deep breaths and trying to wrap their minds around what they just fought. Belle slowly let go of Layle and took a step back. Her face felt like it was covered in sweat. She turned to him ready to speak, to thank him for saving her life again, or maybe to say something more for once, but he was shaking his head and looking onward. The Selkie maiden turned her gaze back to the defeated monster and she gasped. Something else was there.

Another large creature, though not as tall as the first, had arrived; they could see its silhouette from here. Belle tried to figure out what it was, the outline of it reminded her of a woman, at least from the waist up. But its lower half twisted around like slithering cylinder. From the top of its head down its back there was a large growth, or perhaps it was hair, that fanned out around like a cobra's hood. It raised its arms and she was sure she caught the glint of jewels on the ends of two large fans. The giant monster used them to blow the rubble away, and to her dismay the creature Layle had tossed stood up slowly. It was obviously injured.

For a moment none of them moved. Finally the first monster raised its hand and dropped an empty chest before the other. The wound of its wood bashing and splitting on the ground echoed around the ruin. The two creatures turned toward Layle and Belle, the red eyes of both looking down at them. The Clavat raised one arm in front of Belle and got ready to fight again, and for a moment she thought there really was going to be a second round. However the new monster, the obvious female turned from them. The first monster looked back at her as she moved away; the shadow of her movement was marked by a serpentine of her hips as she seemed to glide away. She stopped for a moment to raise her fan and make a motion of beckoning. Only then did larger monster let out a snort, and turn to leave.

The Selkie girl reached up to wipe the sweat off her cheek but stopped when she saw it had red tint to it. Layle suddenly let out a gasp and held his shoulder as he lowered his arm. The back of his shirt was staining with blood.

"Layle… You reopened your wound."

"For crying out…" The Clavat held his shoulder and cursed looking around the destroyed room. With the walls broken down there was more pale light coming in from the stars. Their equipment was scattered about the area. Who knew where they would find the first aid kit. "So much for that 'Selkie nursing technique'…"

"Hey!" Belle walked over to him and turned the Clavat to face her. "I did what I could with what we had. Besides, you gave me the jacket. If you didn't want to be hurt you should have kept it."

"I gave it to you because you're a lousy fighter…" He sighed and rolled his shoulder, "You're also lousy at watching your back… I swear nearly run through for a cook book."

"It is _not_ a cook book. Who would lock cook books up in a treasure chest? Honestly!"

"The pictures look like food, okay. I bet you they tell you it's a cook book." Belle rolled her eyes at him. "Forget it; let's just find the stuff so I can stop my arm from hurting."

"Hmmmn," She put her hands on his shoulders and looked at him smiling.

"What?"

"I know a way to ease your pain while we look."

"…Is this more odd plant monster fluid? Because I don't want it."

"Shut up, Crystal Bearer." Belle leaned forward and pressed her lips to the Clavat's. She didn't know what she was expecting him to do. Probably not react at all. OR tell her she was foolish when she pulled back. But, to her pleasant surprise she felt Layle's lips press back against her own. She continued to hold onto his shoulders and leaned up on the balls of her feet. She wasn't sure she could say it, or that he ever would, so it was important to her to convey it as best she could, for as long as she could. Belle felt one of Layle's hands press against her waist and hold her steady until finally their lips parted.

She pulled back and continued to smile at him.

Layle didn't have an expression, but she knew he was happy by what he said. He scratched next to the Crystal on the side of his face,"Nope it still hurts."

Belle let out a sigh and took his hand. "Come on, I'll stitch you up again." She pulled him along smiling to herself.

She was content she'd finally shared the truth with him. Even though it had only lasted for a moment, a tiny silent moment.

In a nearly dark ruin.


	5. Alexis, The

**A/N: **This story was inspired by sketches form NekoChronicles on some pregame events that are never really fleshed out. If you haven't checked her work do it. There's a link to her page from her profile. If you can't find her profile, she's like the only one that's reviewed this little collection. XD

Also, WHOOPS, I reused some OCs again.

* * *

**Alexis, The**

* * *

**Summary: **One woman's last day set in motion the events that would change a kingdom forever.

**Characters: **King Alfitaria, Althea, Queen Aleixs, Cid, Jegran, Amidatelion, OCs

**Warnings: **Character death (it should totes be obvious who)

**Stand Alone One Shot** (With some OC borrowing from other stories)

* * *

The last day of the week the sun shone brightly over the city of Alfitaria. The sky by any means wasn't completely clear of clouds to obstruct the rays of the sun, but it was clear enough that for long periods of time its light fell upon the city. And up the duel crystal of the Lilty tribe that towered high above the buildings. The two crystals were like spires rising up to touch the heavens. They were a clear blue themselves, and if not for their constant shine, they could probably be mistaken as part of the skyline. Their presence and beauty reflected their promise to their tribe: everlasting prosperity.

It was a fact that held true now for over one thousand years.

It was not something that could be forgotten, not by any tribe. For miles and miles out from the capitol city the light from the crystals could be seen. Some said it touched every corner of the kingdom. And atop the crystals, shining even higher in the center was the symbol of the ruling tribe for every citizen to see. The symbol itself denoted a regal lineage. There points rising up like the crown of king, but their base came down not to from a crown, but a set of three interconnecting lines that looked like the face shield of a knight. And jutting out form the bottom two banners for the fanfare of victory. To rule, to fight, to celebrate. This was the Lilty way.

To rule and celebrate were easy. And battle was always in their blood. They struggled for generations before the Great War to rule the world absolutely as they felt they had been promised. But even now, it seemed like at time that control over the world was slipping away from the grasp of the Lilty and from the grasp of the royal family. Between the ongoing growing power and influence of the Selkie tribe, led by their Guild Master and the growing number of magic users born with crystals embedded in their skin, many felt the prosperity of the kingdom was in danger. Such is why more aggressive members of the tribe were coming into power. The army, which was used to maintain peace, was slowly turning its priorities to combat and war.

It wouldn't be long before the world was once again a grisly battle field, even in the face their crystals beautiful shining light.

It was not entirely the type of world she wanted to raise a child in. However it was the world her husband was making. So she vowed she could at least do her best to keep her child close to the crystal, and its beautiful light. To keep her happy, and innocent and loved as a daughter should be. To keep her knowledgeable, and witty, and proud as a princess should be. There was much that was going to change about the world, but she did not want that to change her family.

"Mommy, I think…" Of course change was a long way off, and proper raising to teach her the skills to run a country was something far, far in the future. "I want to try a sip again."

She looked down and across the table to the little girl sitting away from her. She'd been looking out the window at the light coming in from the sun reflecting off the tribal crystals. She had to look to look down at the little girl, at everything really. It was her daughter's tea table, built just big enough for the toddler and her dolls to sit at. And of course there was room for her mother. The little girl was pouring her stuffed animal a cut of imaginary tea. There were several around occupying the seats. A white round ball, covered in fluff with little bat wings and a pompom sticking out of its head; a bright yellow bird with blue eyes and three towed feet; a lanky knight in grey armors that was slightly falling over; a girl in a pink princess dress with a little plastic crown on her head.

"Can I, Mommy?" The little girl stopped pouring her fake tea for the dolls and looked up at her smiling. They had three little pots, always: one for the dolls, one filled with milk for her, and one with actual tea for her mother. The little girl held up her empty cup. Her green eyes wide as she smiled.

"Are you sure that you can?" Her mother picked up the tea pot. Every so many days her daughter would ask her for a sip of real tea. And each time the little girl cringed and shook her head about how bad it was to her. But she never stopped trying it. It was a trait her mother encouraged, something she was proud the princess displayed even at the age of four. Persistence was an excellent quality in a ruler she felt.

"I can drink it!" She tried to raise her hands up higher. Her mother, the Queen, smiled and took the cup from her to pour her just a tiny bit of tea.

As she poured it their came a knock at the door.

"Come in." The doors to her daughter's nursery opened and in walked a nursemaid. Behind her in the door way, the King stood. He smiled at the sight of his wife and daughter playing their daily game of tea.

"Alexis," he called out to her. His voice was soft, but firm and his smile just as bright as the sun. "My dear, it's time for the High Commander and the Research Department's demonstration."

"…Today?" The Queen set the pot down on the table and handed her daughter her cup. The little girl eagerly took it and raised it to her lips. Her mother turned from her so she would not see her frown. She folded her hands over the top of her gold and orange dress and shook her head. "Is that really today?"

"Yes, Alexis. We spoke about it last night," her husband chuckled at her, "Do you not remember? It was right after you got done telling me about Althea and her…" He glanced at the toddler who was struggling to finish her sip. She was curling her nose and making a face as she drank. He whispered his next words, "Althea and her monster."

"Yes, I know," Alexis slowly stood up and the nurse bowed to her. "But I also told Althea I'd stay with her today. So that it wouldn't get her."

"Well, we cannot postpone the demonstration for the vessel. The two of us are needed."

"…I understand." The Queen turned back around and lightly touched at the scarf around her neck. It wasn't so much that she was needed, so much that what she possessed was. Folded into the scarf around her neck was one of three royal treasures. The spoils of their war against the Yuke tribe. A green crystal idol, which may not have seemed like anything more than an ornate decoration, but really, it possessed a great deal of power. Between them there were three. The one her husband wore, her own, and Althea's.

The queen glanced down at her daughter's, sitting wrapped up in red cloth on the table.

The nurse was picking it up to tie it back around the princess's neck. Normally she would not have been given it until she was older, however, their lovely daughter had been born with a birth defect. A white crystal grew just above her chest. Its light seemed to constantly shine through her dresses, even the ones that covered it completely. The queen always though it reminded her of a diamond, the way it rose out of her chest. The only thing that seemed to contain its glittering was the light from the idol. And so Althea wore her's as well.

The princess looked up at her, she wasn't a fool. "Mommy, are you leaving?"

"…I have to, Althea, for just a little bit. But I will be right ba-"

"But, Mommy, the monster!" The princess immediately started to cry. There wasn't a bit of hesitation about it. She tried to push her nurse away and the King started to scold her from the doorway. Her mother walked around the table and wrapped an arm around her. She shooed the nurse back as she stroked the top of her daughter's hair. It had a pinkish tint to it just like her own.

"Althea, I know… I know I promised. But this is important."

"It's going to take me away while you're gone!"

"It won't take you dear…"

"It took Mia!" The little girl pointed to the tea table. There was one empty seat that stuffed ferret used to occupy.

"I'm sure Mia is somewhere…"

"The monster ate her… It pulled her out of my bed and ate her…"

"Althea," the king spoke up, "There are no monsters within the castle."

"…" The little girl tugged at her mother's dress, "Can't I come too?"

The Queen hesitated for a moment. Why couldn't she come? It was just a demonstration. "Alright."

"Dear!" Her husband shook his head.

"You can see she's upset." The Queen stood and ran her hand over Althea's head one last time. "It's just a demonstration of an engine. Sweetheart, let her come. She'll be happier for it."

The king opened his mouth to refuse her, but Alexis was staring him down. "…Fine, but she mustn't make any of those bubbles. You remember what happened last time…"

"Of course," Alexis looked down at their daughter. "Althea's gotten very good about not making bubbles right?"

"…Well…" she shifted in her seat, "I made one last night. When the monster came…"

The King shook his head but her mother laughed, "That's different dear. If you're in danger, then you should do it. I don't want anything to hurt you." She held out her hand for her daughter to take and helped the toddler stand. Alexis led Althea to the door and they left following her husband and his royal guard out to the airship yard.

* * *

It was by no means an exaggeration that the more aggressive members of the Lilty court had gained a greater voice in the affairs of the kingdom. Especially since the appointment of High Commander Jegran, back before Althea was born, the military's focus had shifted drastically. Alexis couldn't say she was happy with it, but she understood it. Slowly funds, research, and the crystal shards that were used to power much of the kingdoms technology were shifted away from public projects and research in medical or resource fields, were moved to serve the Military. One example was the Ariel Prison. An overall ghastly sight to Alexis, but it had been ensured to help keep Selkie vandals and bandits and pirates in check. And on top of that, much of the Crystal Research and Development division was now dedicated and focused to building elaborate weapons.

There was even talk of building robots so no Lilty lives would have to be lost. But what about the lives those robots would take?

The Lilty had always fought their own battles. Though death was not proud in any sense, the thought that living people would be killed without the chance to face their opponent was unsettling. It had no honor to it. Not like the knights that won the Lilty Kingdom their place of rule.

The royal family was led away from the castle out to the ship yard. It was here that the demonstration would get underway. Among the many airships there was one new one. It was the largest vessel in the yard, though it was unpainted, and unmarked. It towered over everything else around it. Its turrets and cannons were the size of a single fighter plane alone. The massive ship was to serve as the military's new flag ship.

"Look at how big it is!" Althea jumped slightly, the heels of her shoes clicking on the ground.

"Yes… It is rather impressive isn't it?" The King looked down at his daughter. "It's named after your Mother."

"…I wish it wasn't."

"Come now, Alexis. It's tradition to name our finest ships after the Queen."

"Can I have a ship named after me, Daddy?"

The king laughed and reached down to take her other hand, "When you are older, and Queen, you may have a ship named after you."

"Your Majesty!" The royal family turned their heads to see a Lilty walking their way. His skin was slowly browning with age, and there were already prevalent wrinkles in his cheeks from the stress of his work. His light green hair enclosed his face in seven distinct points, that took the shape of an ancient tree from the time of the caravans, who's actual breed was lost to the world. His black armor gleaned in sunlight, even now as a few clouds drifted over head. He approached the royal family with a few guards and came to stop. As he bowed so did his men.

"Ahh," The King spoke up, "High Commander Jegran, I trust everything is ready for the demonstration!"

"It is, your Majesty." He raised his head, eyeing the princess and the Queen, "We can go up to meet Master Cid immediately. Just as soon as Her Majesty gives us the Crystal Idol. Then she and the princess can be on their way as well."

"I am actually coming to witness this, Jegran." Alexis squeezed her daughter's hand. "If it's going to bear my name, I want to know what all it can do."

"Yes, of course, my Queen." He bowed to her apologetically. Alexis nodded her head and the group began to proceed into the ship.

Her daughter lingered for a second tugging her mother's hand. "Mommy…" she whispered looking back. "The monster…"

Alexis turned her head, but nothing was there. A small baby Mu that was scampering across the ship yard seemed to be coming to screeching halt. Its tiny claws digging into the hard ground to stop itself, as if something had been pulling it. The Queen smirked, "Is that your monster, Althea? That harmless, Mu?"

"No, Mommy, the bigger monster. It was trying to eat it- didn't you see it?" She pointed upward. But when the Queen raised her gaze nothing was there.

"Alexis!" the King called to her, the procession had stopped to wait for them. His wife apologized and tugged Althea's hand. Reluctantly the toddler followed. She constantly looked back for the monster that was following them.

* * *

Within the ship the High Commander began his explanation of the vessel and its purpose. These were all things the King and Queen had heard before, but he felt it was important to remind them. "When we reach the engine room, Master Cid will begin the ships activation. From there Lieutenant Colonel Spinosa will show us the weapons system. He was tasked with developing a new line of defense for this vessel, and I am sure you will be quite pleased with its performance."

"Yes," the King spoke up, "I read over his reports with the council, it's certainly an innovative idea. It gives us a great advantage…"

As the King and High Commander spoke, Alexis and Althea followed. The deeper they went into the ship, the less and less sunlight there was. Only the ships emergency backup lights illuminated the hallway. The Queen could feel her daughter squeezing her hand the deeper they went into the ship.

"Mommy, it's too dark…"

"It's alright, Althea. We'll be back above deck soon."

"…The monster comes when it's dark…" The little princess held her head down and continued to grasp her mother's hand as they entered the engine's power room.

The guards took up a standing position around the walls of the hallway outside the room as the royal family entered. Inside the engine room it was a bit brighter than in the hallways. Two Lilties stood over control panels and were double checking pipes and readouts as they entered. One wore a lab coat, the other a white jacket lined with chainmail, both had greying hair and skin just starting to scrunch up around their eyes. The one in the lab coat, had his greying hair tied up in a not with a single wilting pepper hanging from it. The other, his yellowish hair was pulled straight up his head, and shaped like the top of an onion. He wore a set of glasses, with protective lenses attached on hinges so he could flip them up and down as needed. He was just finishing up the last check of the system as the royal family walked in.

"Ah!" The onion haired Lilty clapped hands together and pushed his clip board into his associate's hands. "You've finally arrived! Your Majesties!" The older Lilty approached the King, he did not bow to him but rather took his hand shaking it. It was an action the High Commander did not approve of.

"Master Cid," the King chuckled and clapped his hand over the other man's. "You seem to be in much brighter spirits than last time."

"It is hard for me not to be… Though I wish this engine was in something else- she is my masterpiece!" He turned and waved to the machinery overhead and around the room. "She's a work of art! One of a kind! The more she came together, the finer and finer I realized she truly was! A year ago if you had told me I'd be excited about seeing her activation I would have scoffed!"

"I'm still not quite sure I am excited," Alexis smiled and looked up around the room. Cid turned to her and bowed his head.

"My Queen, I understand, I really do… But I promise you, this engine will revolutionize travel for Alfitaria. Once the Alexis Flagship is underway, we can start reproducing this model- on a smaller scale of course- for the civilian population."

"I'm glad to know that some Military projects will still benefit the common class."

"With all due respect, Your Majesty, in the end, all Military efforts benefit the Kingdom." Jegran nodded to her.

Cid walked over to the Queen and got down on one knee to look Althea in the face, "Why hello there, Little Princess."

"…Hello Mr. Cid," Althea stood slightly behind her mother's dress as she spoke. She was still looking out for the monster.

"You're not scared of my engine are you?"

She shook her head and the King sighed, "Althea has been having a rough time with her imagination. She says a monster is following her."

"A monster!" Cid looked shocked, "Well we can't have that… Do you know what keeps monsters away, Little Princess?"

"…bubbles…" Her parents froze up for a moment. Worried someone would question what she meant by that. They had taught Althea to refer to her power as a 'bubble' so anyone that over heard them would not know what she really meant.

However the old Lilty laughed, "That is a good one! But I don't have any bubbles." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a lollipop. "However I have heard smiles and sweet things keep monsters away." He handed her the piece of candy and Althea took it with a smile. She unwrapped it and put it into her mouth smiling up at the Queen. Cid stood up and clapped his hands together again.

"Alright then! We are all set to begin!" The Head of Crystal Research and Development walked over to the control panel as the High Commander and Royal family watched. "Now, due to the size of the Alexis, this ship requires a fair amount of crystal shards to operate. In fact from what we can gather, we will need to keep at least one Crystal Idol on board at all times." Cid turned to his associate.

The pepper haired Lilty nodded to him and flipped open a panel long the wall. He entered in a code and another section of the surface opened. It was lined with black and yellow warning stripes and had a glass dome. Under the dome there was a small indentation to place a Crystal Idol.

"Queen Alexis, I understand it will be your Idol we are using for this vessel."

"Yes…" the Queen stepped forward and began to unfurl the scarf around her neck. Her daughter wanted to follow her, but the King took Althea's hand to make sure she stood back. The High Commander stood next to Cid as the Lilty researcher began to boot up the engine control. The Lilty Queen handed over her Idol and the assistant placed it under the glass. As soon as the panel was shut he began punching in a new code to lock it in and prevent theft.

"We are all set, Master Cid."

"Thank you, Piper," The Lilty turned and nodded to his assistant. Alexis backed up back to her family's side as Cid turned the Flagship's engine on for the first time.

The noise it made was awful to say the least. The sound of the metal heating up and expanding, the gears turning, the pipes creaking all for the first time. Althea raised her hand and covered her ears. She looked up at her Mother who was doing the same.

"It's loud! Isn't it dear!?" The little girl nodded.

Cid turned to Piper and shouted to him, "Head up above deck, and tell Spinosa to start working the controls. We'll take it out for a test flight, and test the weapons over the canyon!" Cid's assistant nodded and left the room. The engine continued to turn and run. As it activated the lights came on all over the ship. The computers, the systems the weapons, all of it came to life.

Jergran nodded to Cid and clapped a hand on his shoulder, "Excellent work, Master Cid. I knew you could do it."

"Together, Jegran!" The old Lilty shouted over the noise. "We did it together, as a people united, there is nothing this Kingdom cannot do!"

"It is an excellent sight, gentlemen!" The King raised his hands to the two of them.

As the men spoke, Alexis looked on. Her husband was proud, and so she should be as well. The activation of the Flagship would mark the start of something new for her country. The country that one day Althea would rule over. Perhaps battle was the only way to truly have prosperity. Had they not ruled for one thousand years in peace and light? Perhaps this ship would issue in another one thousand years of such prosperity.

The Queen felt something tug at her dress. She looked down to see Althea pulling at her.

She knelt down and stroked the little girl's hair, "What is it, dear? Is it too loud in here for you?"

"Mommy!" The little girl shook her head, her lollipop practically falling out of her mouth. "The monster!"

The Queen pressed her lips together, "Althea… Darling there is no monster-"

"Mommy at the wall! At the Crystal in the wall! I saw it!"

"Althea," Alexis put her hand on her daughter's shoulders, "Listen to me. I understand that it's a bit scary in here but there is no-" The Queen's words were cut off by a sudden blaring sound. All around the room an alarm was going on. The red warning lights started to flash and Cid turned to the control panel.

"What is it?" Jegran leaned over his side, "What's wrong?"

"I don't know… Its saying there's an over load… Something is over loading the system."

"An over load?" The King leaned over his other side. "Thought you said this system can handle the Idol's energy!?"

"It can! It should- my calculations are correct." The onion haired Lilty pulled back from the panel. "It has to come out!"

"Out?!" Jegran grabbed Cid's shoulder. "Master Cid that Idol is not coming out. We need it for this ship. Fix the system, there must be away!"

Alexis looked around as the alarm continued to go off. Althea now was covering her ears again, but she was pleading with her mother to leave the room. Still insisting that the monster was trying to get them. Around them the engine started to strain and creak, not like before, not with the sounds of a fresh new start up. The machinery was straining just to work. Like an old wooden board with too much pressure put on it, the metal of the pipes and gears was starting to strain.

"Darling-" Alexis turned to the King. He was still standing with Jegran and Cid as they fiddled with the controls. They were trying to redirect the excess energy.

"Mommy! Mommy, please let's leave!"

"-That's not going to work! If you put it into the weapons they'll fire!" The Head Researcher was shouting at the High Commander. "We're still in the city! We'll shoot the ships! We could shoot the buildings! Let me remove it Jegran!"

"Then direct the cannons out away from the city! Syphon it off somehow!" The men continued to fight as the room began to tremble.

Alexis grabbed Althea's hand and started to pull her. She was finally ready to relent that her daughter was right. It didn't matter if there was a monster or not they had to leave the room. She started toward her husband, ready to grab him by the back of his royal cloak when the room shook violently, or rather the whole ship did. It knocked the Queen onto her feet, her daughter as well.

The King and High Commander stumbled, and Cid fell back. The old Lilty couldn't take it anymore. He pushed away from the fumbling High Commander, knocking his right arm out of his way as he ran for the Idol in the wall. The room continued to shake, and now the area was filling with sparks. The overload was causing an electrical surge that sent out sparks and arcs of energy around the room. A few of the lights blew, and Althea screamed. Her mother reached out for her and wrapped her up in her arms.

Cid pried open the control panel to release the Idol only to be electrocuted. A wave of energy knocked him back from the panel and to the ground unconscious. Out from the area around the Idol a green light started to spark and spread. Wave after wave of energy started to course through the room, and it was quickly drawing closer to Alexis and her daughter.

The High Commander pushed himself off the ground and grabbed the King. "Your majesty! Run!"

"No-!" He stumbled as he stood up, "The Queen! The Princess!" Jegran looked on at the Idol and pushed past the King. The monarch fell back onto the controls as his High Commander rushed forward. Jegran drew his sword; if the panel couldn't be opened manually then he would force it open. He rushed through the green light coming off of the Crystal Idol. The shards within it were overloading, their energy filling the room. Each wave of energy hit him, slightly knocking him off balance, but he did not stop. He was determined to protect the throne and the royal family. His sword struck he glass shattering it, but as if the glass was in some way helping, the moment it broke another light filled the room.

A bright flash consumed the area and it suddenly felt as if something was drawing the occupants in toward the Idol. The King grabbed onto the panel as he felt his feet being dragged out from under him. The Crystal Idol that he wore pulled toward the one in the wall.

On the floor, the same thing was happening to Althea. If not for her mother holding her down, the little girl would have been swept up right away. She screamed and clung to her mother's dress as the shards in her Idol and her Father's began to react with the energy flowing around the room.

Alexis looked back to see Jegran trying to forcibly remove the Crystal from the ships core. He was clawing at it with his right hand hollering in pain, more than likely from the energy its shards were shooting directly into his body. The Idol however did not budge; it was jammed from the malfunction. The more and more he tampered with it, the more the green light started to turn in color. A red tint started to fill out from the engine core and engulf the High Commander.

"Althea!" Alexis grabbed onto her daughter's scarf and Idol, doing her best to pull them loose with one hand. "Althea! Make a bubble!"

"I-I can't!" the little girl screamed as she held onto her mother. "I want to leave! Please, Mommy! I want to leave!"

"You have to make one!" The Queen pulled the Idol loose from her child's clothing. "Just try, Althea! You have to keep us safe!"

The princess whined and closed her eyes. She tightened her grip on the Queen as the white crystal embedded in her chest let out a light of its own. All around Althea a shield took shape. The King shouted at Alexis to grab Althea and run. The Queen raised the Idol in her hand and shouted. "Your Idol! Get rid of it!"

The King reached up to pull the green Crystal from his clothing when another surge flooded the room. The green and red light flashed from the Idol in the wall, blowing the High Commander back. A surge arched out, the shards of one Idol calling to the others in the remaining two. The line of energy struck the Idol in Alexis' hands shocking her.

The Queen's head tilted back and she screamed. The hand she had on her daughter started to loosen as her cries filled the room. Her screams were matched by her family, but the princess' rang out the loudest. Her young voice filled the room as the green and red light from shards lit up her mother's body. The Queen herself sparked with the energy of the Crystal Idol as the surge passed through her.

It started to leave Alexis' body and spread out to claim the King's Idol as well, but as fate would have it, Alexis was still holding onto Althea. The terrified princess' crystal reacted to her panicked state and the coursing energy. The tiny shield she had around herself flared up around her. It became a barricade that collided with the energy in the room and in Alexis. It pushed outward from Althea, and pushed back the wild an uncontrollable flow of the Crystal Shards until the barrier and the energy was forcing back collided with its source.

The impact sent one final surge through the ship and the power died out. The engine stopped its metal coming to screeching halt. The lights either died out or burst from the charge. The Crystal Idol in the core of the ship flickered dismally as it power started to fade . The entire ship shook one last time until it fell into near silence.

The only sound that could be heard drifted up the dark halls. Up from the smoking and eerie engine room. It was a faint word, almost an unintelligible sob each time it was said. Its sound echoed through the walls and into the disappearing void.

And into the ears of a monster.

It stood over the meals it had 'gobbled up', an array of devoured items and treasures in its barely lit home. The Crystal Idol was lost to it, however. Another attempt failed. At this point it was thought inconceivable to obtain one without somehow reaching the other side. And yet it had almost had it. If not for that wave of energy that brought its spell to an end.

The surge had been so great, it really seemed like it was forced through by another source. Another Bearer?

The Idol was the first step to restoring the green glittering light of their own crystal and their own phantom existence. But as the 'monster's' doorway to the Alexis closed, the last sounds of the silent ship drifted through. One simple word over and over again.

One step forward needed to be taken, to change the world but at what cost?

No, never again would an attempt result in such loss. They would keep trying, but only when it was safe. Only when there was no one to risk. Even if they had to find a way to reach across the void and take it personally.

A golden mechanical hand raised high and shut the portal. The helm that acted as the head of their artificial body looked up into the green phantom light of a crystal lost and the last words it heard from the other side echoed as the doorway closed.

"…Mommy…"

* * *

It was two weeks later that the princess's pitiful plea still echoed in his ears. The weak and mournful sound that he had awoken to. The terrible sight of a small child clinging to the still and lifeless body while her father looked on stunned and unable to move.

It was ghastly.

It was haunting.

And he would never shake it. Even if he lived to be two hundred years old, and his mind deteriorated to the point that he wouldn't even know his own name. He knew he would never forget the sight of Alexis on the floor. Her vacant and lifeless expression staring at him while her only daughter tried to wake her.

It wasn't something any of them would forget. Though he hoped that perhaps the princess would.

He knew, like himself, the king could not. He supposed that was why as he walked through the halls of the castle, he saw the guards and maids working tirelessly to remove her image from the castle. Her murals, her possessions, her dresses, her furniture, even items she had picked out to decorate the state rooms and halls, all of it was being picked up and catalogued and moved out. The last item scheduled to be removed was a statue of her out in the gardens.

But could he say he blamed him? Certainly, he felt the blame was on him. Perhaps even on the High Commander. But Jegran himself seemed to be suffering. He was still in the hospital, the doctors only saying some unknown ailment caused by the blast was causing his right arm to deteriorate. Surly he'd lose it.

The High Commander his arm, the king his wife, the princess her mother. All he was losing was his job. And even then he was just giving it up. It was hardly a loss in comparison. And for that he was sure he'd always carry Alexis with him. For them. Because the loss was greater for those three.

Cid had resolved while he was lying in the hospital he would step down from his position as head of Crystal Research and Development. His project had not just been a folly, but it had turned the kingdom on its head. The Queen's death brought Alfitaria to standstill for days. Even now, a week after her funeral, the people of the capitol city were still displaying banners of mourning, and hang out pink and white flowers from windows and doorways and shop carts along the road.

He wondered how long it would be before the King ordered to have the plants removed. He seemed determined to escape the sight of her death. The entire castle was to be stripped of her, as if she never was.

The old onion headed Lilty shook his head. The copy of his resignation clutched in one hand. He had turned it into the Council, whom insisted he should stay. That the situation needed to be evaluated, but he didn't want that. He had hoped the King would be there, so he could apologize to him formally. Again. But the members of the Council informed him he was with his daughter. So that is where he was heading.

Althea's nursery was the last heaven for anything that resembled the Queen and her memory.

Outside the door a young officer stood, his green hair ended in a short sprout of plums and vines. He held in his hands a small locked chest and looked on into the toddler's play room.

"Lieutenant Colonel," Cid nodded to him as he came to stand next to the officer. "How Is High Commander Jegran?"

"The doctors say he can resume his duties by the end of the month." The young man didn't look at him, "But he has asked that the condition of his arm not be disclosed… Until he returns, I am acting High Commander."

Cid nodded to him, "I am sure… I am sure he will remember your performance and willingness to step up and take charge when he retires."

"I heard, you are retiring, Master Cid."

"Have, retired…" The two stood in silence. Inside the nursery the King was on one knee speaking to his daughter. The little girl held a tea cup in her hands and was shaking her head over and over again. Finally the King stood and approached the two.

"Your Highness…" The officer held up the box, "What of the Princess's Idol?"

"She will not give it up," Cid took note of how pale the man's face was. It seemed like in two weeks he had aged ten years. "…And I cannot take it from her…" He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "He says she is in it."

"…I see. Then shall I take these two out with the rest of it."

"Yes, take them- Just take them away from here. I do not care where. Toss them into the sea, the desert or the ruins. I don't care. Just take them away Spinosa."

He nodded to the King and bowed his head, "As you wish, Your Majesty." The officer turned on his heels and walked away leaving just Cid and the King.

"…My old friend…" The King looked up at him, his eyes weary.

"…I-I have come to speak to you, about an important matter, Your Majesty. I-"

"I cannot handle matters of importance at this time, Cid." The King cut him off. "I know, there is much to be done about the kingdom, but- as of right now I cannot. I-" He shook his head, "Please take it up with the Council for the time being…" The man walked past him, he never gave him a chance to tell him personally about his resignation.

The old researcher watched him leave before turning back and looking into the nursery. The princess was staring at him. He walked into the room and slowly knelt down next to the little girl. She still wore the Crystal Idol around her neck. She had refused to take it off for her father. Althea had worn it to the funeral and had been tying it on herself every morning since her mother died.

Perhaps it was out of comfort. Though he didn't know she also did it to cover her crystal. Since the day of the incident her diamond gem had grown, branching out further in twist and spirals. Her mother had told her to always wear the Idol to hide it. And she suddenly felt like she had to more than ever. Everything around her was changing; even she and her father had changed. She thought maybe if she hid it, and didn't think about it, the change would stop. All of it would come to a grinding halt.

"Hello, Althea," Cid smiled at her. She glanced at him and took another sip from her cup. "…What are you drinking there?"

"…tea…"

"…A little thing like you, is drinking tea?" Cid tried to coax a smile from her, "Aren't a bit young, for tea?" Althea said nothing to him. The old Lilty pressed his lips together and looked out over the table. There were two empty seats. "…Are you expecting more guests?"

"…Mia and Mommy are gone."

He took a deep breath and nodded. Of course on chair was for the Queen. But… "Mia? Mia is gone?"

"The monster ate her. She was my stuffed ferret."

Cid looked over at the two chairs, and then back to Althea. "Would you like another Mia, to have tea with you?"

"…" Althea glanced at him, "Can I have Mommy instead?"

"I-I don't think- I can do that one."

Althea took another sip from her cup, "The monster will come back, and then my seat will be empty too."

"What about your bubbles?"

"…I don't want to use them."

"Now, Althea…" The old man took her cup from her and took her hand squeezing it. "If, if there is a monster coming. And it's going to take you away; you have to use your bubbles to protect yourself." Cid glanced at the chair. "The Queen, Alexis doesn't want you to go missing. Didn't she protect you in the ship?" Althea nodded. "That's right! She protected you, so you could be here with your father. You can't leave him all alone. I-I- know this is difficult, Princess. But you have to stay here. For him and her. You have to. Nothing can happen to you, Althea."

The toddler looked at Cid and slowly nodded. She didn't say anything out loud. Althea slowly took her hand back and picked up the tea cup again and started sipping it. Cid watched her for a minute before slowly standing. He started to leave the nursery when finally the little girl spoke up.

"Mr. Cid…"

"Yes, my dear?" He turned back around to her.

"…I, I'd like another Mia."

He slowly nodded to her with a smile. "I will bring you one. Next time I visit."

Cid walked out of the nursery and slowly shut the doors. He kept his eyes on the princess as he closed them faintly smiling to himself.

On his way out of the castle he passed the wagons being loaded up with the Queen's possessions. The old man shook his head with a sigh. He watched as a soldier tossed a painting up onto the pile. It landed uneasily and slowly slid. It fell off the stack and hit the ground on its side. Its frame cracked. Mortified Cid rushed over and pushed him away.

"Stop that! Stop that! What is wrong with you! This is Alexis' image!" He pushed the solider back and picked up the cracked frame. The picture was of the Queen, not long after her weeding day. She still looked very young, almost like a teenager.

"Master Cid…" The solider held out his hand for the painting. The old Lilty looked down at it again. At the woman smiling up at him. Graceful and fair, only wanting peace for her family and her people.

"Not this one…" He shook his head and pulled at the frame. He helped the crack along the side until it split open completely and he reached in to pull out the canvas. "Not this one. It's not going with the rest."

"But the King and Lieutenant Spinosa said-"

"He said he didn't care where it went!" Cid carefully removed the picture and slowly rolled it up. "This one isn't going with the rest."

He handed the solider the empty broken frame and walked off. The old Lilty clutched the rolled painting tight in his hands. Refusing to let anyone touch it. He vowed to himself he'd not let the image of Alexis go. Not the haunting face of her death, or the sweet memory of her life, or the bright future for her daughter.

He'd hold onto her, steadfast, for the rest of his life.


	6. Between a Mother and Son

**Between a Mother and Son**

* * *

**Summary:** Raising a child can be a difficult uncharted road. And its twice as overwhelming when that child has powers that move the world around him.

**Characters: **Kid!Layle, OCs

**Warnings: **Bitter Sweet, Fluff

**Ties Into: **The Crystal Rule. A side story that's not essential to the plot, more or less a look at what it might have been like to grow up being Layle.

* * *

In this village, things never change. Since the day it was founded by a handful of farmers and ranchers, it has always been small. No more than forty people had ever lived there at any given time. It was impossible to be a stranger to anyone, it was impossible for anything to change. The buildings, the families, their routines were the same since the day the first group of Clavats arrived on the unoccupied field of dirt they decided to call home.

A home they named Denthe.

In Denthe when the sun rose, the people rose with it. For some, they were up and about before the first rays of light even touched the sky. For others they weren't up until the light was working its way through the windows of their bedrooms. But for the children, they weren't up until the light forced them out of bed.

The sun was just high enough now to force its light through the window, over the floor, and across the bed of one of Denthe's more infamous children. Though everyone knew each other on sight, it had become part of the town's routine to try and not engage this particular child. He was turning five in a few months. And like most little boys he loud, playful, rambunctious, and always in trouble. He was a little ball of energy.

However, the town's problem with him lay in the fact he was a ball of energy. Literally.

When the light hit his face, his reaction was to turn away. He always turned away and tried to push the light out from his eye lids. He covered his face and complained to the sun to leave him alone for just a little bit longer. Nothing could make him get out of bed. Not the sun light, not the promise of breakfast, not the chance to play with the baby Chocobos around the ranch, not the thought of kicking his ball up and down the dirt roads. Nothing could make him get out of bed today.

"Layle!" A voice shouted from outside his room. It was coming from down the hall. The sound of an older woman calling to him. "Layle! I'm going out to the barn to feed the birds! Get up and get dressed so we're not late to see your Aunt and Uncle!" It was his mother; Lyra was her name. Her voice always followed soon after he resisted the sun's beckoning to rise.

Going to visit relatives was not a great motivation to get out of bed either. He saw his Aunt and Uncle every day. He saw everyone every day. There was nothing exciting about Uncle James and Aunt Clementine. Except that his Aunt was expecting a baby.

"…The baby!" He sat up instantly in bed. The memory that there was going to be another kid in the village woke him up. It was exciting to think about. So exciting that his covers and at least one pillow were flung from the bed as he sat up. He didn't even have to throw them off by hand. The sheer force of his exuberance was enough.

He slid off the bed, past the tossed bedding and ran out of his room. His mother was already gone from the hall. Off to finish her morning chores. She had a lot to do, and she did most of it by herself. This left him to finish his own morning routine without her: washing his face, trying to flatten out the fluffed up ends of his blond hair by hand- because he refused to comb it, making faces in the mirror while he brushed his teeth, pretending the towel was a snake monster that had to be vanquished, and launching it up to the ceiling in a burst of blue light as he ran out the bathroom and back down the hall.

Fighting a pretend monster meant stopping by his door and leaning up against the frame to check his height. His mother had told him children only grow while their sleeping. He sometimes felt that was a trick, to keep him from checking every other hour. But she promised him that when he was as tall as her he could help clear out the Blazer Beatles that occasionally rolled through the ranch.

He grabbed the marker he kept next to the door and did his best to mark off where he stood at today. He took a step back and lifted his slate colored eyes to gauge how far he had to go.

"Too far…" He put the marker down and ran back into his room to change. His pajamas landed on the floor next to the bedding, he'd pick them up later, after breakfast and chores, and changed into green overalls, a yellow shirt, and black work boots that were slightly too big. It saved money for him to just grow into his shoes his mother said. He didn't mind though. When it rained they were perfect for stomping in mud puddles and causing the mud to fly ten feet in the air.

It was a great game.

Every day he could find a great game to play around the ranch or around town. To him it was fun. But to his mother and a few of the adults it was exasperating. He was the only one around the village that did such things, sending items flying into the air on a whim. His mother had asked him before to try and not be so hyper, so that maybe things didn't fly as often. And he did try… But it was hard.

It was part of their routine. If he was happy, something floated. If he was mad something broke. If he was sad things usually slid this way and that. It was just how things were. Most of the furniture in the house was nailed down, and renailed down when he tore it up. The villagers learned to hang onto their possessions, and the older kids around town had just learned to not play with him at all.

There wasn't much anyone could do about it. It was just the way he was. The way he was born.

Thinking about not trying to make things fly made him poke at his cheek. Specifically his right one. There was an unusual birthmark there. A tiny crystal that was slowly growing as he got older. His mother professed it was growing faster than he was once. It was the reason things flew about when he was around.

The little Clavat stopped at the end of the hallway. He was up on the second floor of their house. Before him the stairs stretched out and ended in the main hallway. If he could choose, the only thing that would fly would be him. He turned around and walked to the far end of the hall before turning back. With a deep breath he ran forward, doing his best to get up as much speed as he could. When he reached the end of the hall again he jumped as hard as he could. His heart was racing, and he laughed the whole time. He did feel himself fly, if only for a moment. Right at the end when he jumped, he felt the crystal in his face surge and his whole body was flung from the ground.

He spread his arms out wide as he sailed over the steps, but when he started to fall he pulled his hands forward. The tot usually kept them pointed out, but like that he always landed with a thud and knocked something over. The other day he watched a Coeurl jump up and land. It pulled its legs inward to catch itself, he wondered if pulling his arms in would help.

Today he landed at the end of the stairs and didn't fall over. He cleared them in one jump and broke nothing for the first time.

"Yes!" He threw his hands up in the air excitedly. A bright blue light burst forth from his open palms and bounced around the hall. It tilted the pictures hanging on the wall, and shook the little side tables decorating the area. On top of one, a potted plant trembled and fell off its stand. The boy lowered his hands and covered his mouth. He ran over to the plant and started to pick up the pieces just as the front door at the end of the hall opened.

"Alright, Layle, I hope you're-" The speaker stopped. The Clavat woman in the doorway shook her head. Her dark brown bangs moving slightly as she did. Her hair was tied up in scarf to protect it from getting too dirty while she worked. Like her son's overalls, her dress was green and her apron yellow. Her face a few wrinkles in it, mostly from shouting or laughing too hard. She did look a bit tired, but not from anything she took regret in. "You jumped again didn't you?"

"No!" He shook his head at her.

"Layle…"

He pointed at the stairs, "I landed. The pot broke after, Mom."

She sighed, "So you did jump." She walked into the house and crouched down to help him clean up the mess. "Layle I told you no more jumping the stairs…"

"I made it today!" He completely ignored her weariness with his game. "I didn't fall. Do you want to see?"

"Maybe later… We need to eat so we can go see your Uncle." She stood holding the broken bits of the plant in her apron. "Did you comb your hair this morning?"

"Yes!" He didn't look at her as he answered. It was her way to try and read his expression and recognize if he was lying or not.

"Hmmn… Well now that you've made it, no more jumping from the stairs."

Her son stood up whipping the dirt from his hands onto his clothes. "I'm going to jump from the top floor of the barn next."

"No you are not." The brunette Clavat shook her head. She rolled her green eyes and made her way to the kitchen. "You'll break your leg. Or worse, bust your head open."

* * *

After breakfast, Layle followed his mother back out to the barn. It was just the two of them on her ranch. Though in the afternoon some of the older kids from the village would come by to help with the work. Layle's mother raised Chocobos. She raised them for the farmers, for the Pilgrims up in the mountains, and every now and again, when there was a rare gem of a bird, she'd sell it to the kingdom. She was proud to say she was one of the best Chocobo ranchers in Alfitaria. She had buyers come from all over to look over her birds. She knew quite a bit about raising Chocobos.

Lyra knew quite a bit about a lot of things. Raising birds, repairing appliances, fighting monsters, it was raising a child she was shaky at. She loved Layle, but sometimes he got out of hand. She often wondered how much trouble he was going to be once he was older. The three teenage boys that lived in town were always in trouble. She could only imagine what trouble Layle was going to cause once he was that age.

She could only hope that by then he'd learned to keep his magic in check.

"Alright, Layle," Lyra stood in the middle of the barn. She had her hands on her hips and was watching her son glance around the place. He was clearly thinking about how and where he was going to jump. "Layle, listen."

"Yes, Mom!" He looked back at her smiling. She wanted to tell him not to jump again but she just smiled back.

"The birds are calm now that they've eaten. I'm going to collect the eggs and hand them to you over the door, okay?"

"And then I put them in the incubator!"

"That's right," she nodded. He was bright. He only started helping her around the ranch three months ago. But he quickly took to what little task she'd give him. "And walk them over this time. Don't throw them, okay?"

"…Okay…" He kicked his leg and bit of hay flew up into the air, a little too high for it to have been a regular kick of his feet. Last time he'd tried tossing the eggs into the incubator and missed one. Lyra was very upset about the Chocobo she lost, but she continued to let Layle help. He was after all, more upset than she was mad.

The little boy followed her up to the first stall and waited outside while she entered and handed him an egg. He took it and carried it across the barn to place in a large machine. There was a row of hay, and a spot for about ten eggs under a row of large heating lamps. His mother told him it helped the chicks hatch faster than their mothers sitting on them for days on end. He ran back to get the next egg and carefully walked it over.

However by the forth egg, he was running with it in his arms. He didn't mind helping his mother, but sometimes it was boring. He couldn't help it if he wanted to speed up the process a bit. Plus, the longer they were in here, the longer it would take to hear about the baby. And that's what he really wanted to do today. He was the youngest kid in the village; the fact that there would be someone close to his age to play with was exciting.

Last year one of the village families, the Marshalls, had had a baby, but they never brought him home. They had to stay in Alfitaria, though no one would explain to him why. He hoped that would not be the case with his future cousin.

"You're getting faster at this," Lyra handed him the second to last egg.

"I want to see Uncle James and Aunt Clem!" He took the egg from her and beamed.

"Alright, there's just one more, and then we'll go." His mother turned around and started to dig out the next egg. Layle started to run back to the incubator to deposit the unhatched bird. About halfway across the room he stopped and looked over his shoulder.

He had only missed one out of eight last time…

The young Clavat took a deep breath and ran again. This time he flung his arms forward, letting his magic burst wilding form his fingertips. The egg flew across the barn and sailed right at the incubator. He smiled as it went; it was going to make it. But it wasn't slowing down; it was going to make it a little too hard.

"Oh no," he reached out, but couldn't do anything to stop the egg from slamming into the back of the machine. The loud noise it made startled all the birds and made Lyra stick her head out from over the stall.

"Layle…"

"I-I-" he ran over to the machine and looked at the egg. It was cracked. "I'm sorry…"

Lyra walked out of the stall holding the last egg. "Layle, why did you throw it?"

"I-I just wanted to get done faster…" The little boy was stroking the side of the egg. He didn't look up at her. "I wanted to go to town and see Uncle James and Aunt Clem…" From the sound of his voice she could tell he was going to cry. The woman set the last egg down and put her hand on Layle's head. There was no point in yelling at him.

"It's alright. It's just one egg. There will be others."

"…I killed it…"

"Layle," His mother got down on her knees and wrapped an arm around him, "It wasn't even alive yet, it's oka-"Lyra stopped talking when the egg shuddered. Layle looked up at the shaking shell. They both watched as it continued to crack. The egg trembled back and forth until pieces of it fell away to reveal small Chocobo who's feathers shined like gold.

"Well," Lyra stared look at that. The little bird started crying and squirming. It flapped its tiny wings; the fluff on its body was sticky from the inside of its egg. "I guess it was ready to hatch."

"It's gold!" Layle leaned forward and poked at it. "Look! Look at him! He's shiny!"

"So he is…" Lyra stood up. "That's a rare bird…" she looked down at Layle, "Good work."

"Huh?" Her son looked up at her confused. "Me?"

"Yes you!" The woman laughed. "These birds are had to come by… I'm sure it was your magic that made him gold."

"…Really!?"

"Yes!" Lyra clapped her hands together, "His mother is black. So it had to be you. He's unique. Just like you are."

Layle looked up at her shaking his head, "But then… But then won't the other birds avoid him?"

Lyra stopped smiling. She looked down at Layle wide eyed. Truth be told, she had never heard him acknowledge that most of the villagers tried to steer clear of him. He always seemed content to play by himself, or play with her, or his Uncle and Aunt. The woman looked down at the bird. What was she going to say? That the animal wouldn't have that problem? That it was just something he'd face on his own.

"…Why don't you two play together then?" Lyra rubbed the back of her neck.

"Together?"

"Yes. It will be your responsibility to take care of him, until he's ready to be sold. That way, he's always got someone, okay?" Lyra stopped rubbing the back of her neck. "Would you like that?"

"I would!" Layle pulled away the rest of the bird's shell and helped it out of the incubator. "Can I name him?"

"Sure." She nodded to the toddler. Eventually the Chocobo would start playing with the other birds. She'd have to explain that. And someday she'd have to explain why he was the only one in the village with a crystal. The rancher took a deep breath. She knew a lot about raising birds. It was all routine to her, but she found herself fumbling along with her son.

* * *

Once the new born bird was washed up, Lyra and Layle set off for the village. The Clavat woman's home was up on a hill, removed from the rest of the town. They were the last house on the road. In a way it was fitting for them. Lyra herself was a bit unusual as far as ranchers went. She worked by herself, lived without a husband, and cleared the monsters off her land all on her own. The other villagers used to tell her she was trouble growing up. She was a know it all and a bit hasty in her decisions. But she never regretted any of that. It was hasty decision making that filled her past with fond memories and exciting tales. And it was hasty decision making that now filled her life with Layle and the ranch.

"What about Won?"

"Won?" Lyra looked down at the top of Layle's head as they walked. "Why 'Won'?"

"Cause its short for 'Wonder'. Because he's a wonderful bird. And because he's going to win lots of races!" Layle looked up at her slightly tilting his head, "You are going to sell him to the racers aren't you? He's too special to be a Pilgrim bird. I bet when he wins all those races, the other birds will like him."

"Ah," Lyra chuckled. She had no idea how a child's train of thought worked. She could tell what her birds were thinking from the way they scratched the ground. But when it came to Layle and his ideas… "Won is a good name for him."

Layle nodded to her as they entered the town. Her older brother, Layle's Uncle, ran the villages General Store. The shop keeper was expecting his first child next month. In all honesty, between the two of them, they never expected Lyra to have a child first, or ever. But here she was, bringing her son to see off his Aunt and his future cousin.

The brunette opened the door to the General Store and smiled, "Hello!"

"Lyra! Layle!" A Clavat woman behind the counter greeted them. She had long black hair pulled back in a braid. Her eyes were a dark brown, and her face slightly freckled. "Oh my, what's that in Layle's arms?"

"It's Won!" The little boy set the bird down and let it walk around the shop. "I'm taking care of him so he's not lonely."

"You are?" The woman looked to Lyra.

"They're both… Different." She approached the counter, "How are you, Clem?"

"Exhausted!" She shook her head. "Can't wait to leave. James is bringing the wagon around. The shop will be closed while we're gone."

"This is the last check up before your delivery… Are you excited?" The other woman shrugged just as the door to the shop opened again. A man entered, like Lyra he had dark brown hair and green eyes. He greeted them all with a shout.

"Here we are! All my favorite people!" He stopped walking and looked down at Layle and his bird, "What's that? A monster you're slaying?"

"It's Won! I'm taking care of him so he doesn't get lonely!"

"They're both different." Clementine explained. She nodded to her sister in law.

"Well, I guess we made it just in time to see you all off. I hope the checkup goes well."

Layle stood up and poked James in the leg to get his attention, "Aren't you bringing the baby back this time?"

"Not yet, Layle, but soon."

"How much longer?"

"Layle…" Lyra shook her head at him.

"Aunt Clem, are you bringing home a boy or a girl?" Lyra's son stood up and started asking questions. The baby Chocobo continued to wonder aimlessly around the shop. "Can it be a boy?"

The black haired woman shrugged, "It's not up to me Layle. Your Uncle James decides what we bring home." Lyra turned to her sister-in-law laughing. What she said was technically true.

"Uncle James!" Layle turned to the man. James crossed his arms. He wasn't sure how this had been passed off to him.

"…Sorry, Layle. I uh, already decided on a girl." The man watched his nephew let out a very animated sigh. "Perhaps next time, aright?"

"I'll be too old to play with them then…" Layle looked over at his bird. It was trying to jump up as grab a few rainbow grapes from one of the stands. "Can she at least have a crystal?" He looked back up at his uncle. "Can she?"

"I-I-" The man looked up from the boy to the two women. His wife looked to Lyra who was tapping her fingers on the counter. She knew they wanted her to answer. But she didn't know what to say. It was one of those things she never knew what to say. "Well, you see, Layle-"

"Crystals are a surprise!" Lyra blurted out. The woman looked around at her family. That wasn't a lie. The doctors still hadn't developed away to determine if someone was going to be born a bearer or not. "No one can pick but the Crystal. So… We won't know until she's born."

"Oh…" Layle looked back down at the bird. It was still struggling to eat. Without hesitation the boy lifted his hand and willed some of the grapes to fall. It was just a few at first, but unfortunately he hadn't picked for any grapes on top to fall. He had pulled from the bottom, and so while the Chocobo pecked at the few that fell more came tumbling down onto his head. Layle laughed about it but his relatives were less than amused.

"Layle, why don't you take Won outside?" Lyra walked over and dug the bird out from the spilled grapes. "We'll be out shortly… So don't go far."

Her son took the bird back into his arms. He glanced from his mother to the woman behind the counter before nodding slowly. "Sorry about the grapes…" He turned and started to walk out of the store, taking one last look at Lyra. She just smiled and waved at him. Even as the shop door closed. Layle walked down the stairs of the general store before looking back up at the door. "Won, I will let you in on a secret okay?" He set the bird down and walked around the side of the shop. "Don't tell Mom…"

The boy and the bird moved around the side of the General Store. The floor of the building was raised so that when it rained, no mud or water would seep through the wooden floor. However this meant that there was a gap under the building just big enough from small animals to crawl under. The area was actually closed off with a grate that went all the way around the building. But over time, Layle had pried part of it loose. He pulled it back now and pushed the bird under before crawling under the store himself.

The bird let out a cry and Layle put his hand over its beak. "Shh, Won. Mom will hear you…" He continued to crawl. "This is my secret." He had originally just pulled the grate away because he wanted a hiding place around town where no one would look for him. It had been an accident that he found it was a good place to listen to his Mom and Uncle and Aunt. Three months ago, he overheard them talking about a gift for him for the Crystal Festival. And just last week Lyra and James were talking about what to do for his birthday. Now whenever she shooed him out he crawled under hear to listen.

"-So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know, Lyra. It's a big question. Even for us." Layle could hear the muffled voice of his Aunt through the floor.

"You are going to keep her aren't you? You can't leave her to be sent to the monastery. James…" There was a moment of silence. "James!"

"It's a lot, Lyra. You have to admit, it's a lot. Even you can barely handle it…"

"If you do that, what am I going to tell Layle? It was bad enough last year with the Marshall's little boy. How do you expect me to explain if you don't come home with his cousin?"

"Maybe you should have thought about that when you came back with him-"

"Clementine."

"I'm sorry… It's just. Lyra you have to talk to him about eventually. It took him a whole month to stop asking about the last kid."

Layle looked up at the underside of the floor and then to his bird. "…Won… I think my cousin's not coming home…" He lowered his head and watched the Chocobo dig in the dirt under the store. "Why can't she come home?"

"Look, Lyra… Clem's right. Layle's a smart kid. You keep saying that yourself. Either you're going to tell him, or it's going to don on him one day. What are you going to do then?"

"You two aren't serious… He's a kid. It- he- it's not something you tell kids. Okay?"

"Kids are smart, Lyra."

"Can't you just, let it go? Can't you just bring her home if she has a crystal?" There was silence again. "James…"

"Lyra, you know, if things were different around here- if it wasn't like it was now. Maybe."

"Not all kids are like Layle! Even the doctor said he was different. Most don't start cast until they're much, much older."

"Layle was flipping people from before he could walk. From before he could sit up on his own!" His aunt shouted. "Lyra you can barely handle it. Everyone in the village watches you and him and we- and they-"

"You said _we_," his mother cut her off. "Are you two afraid too?"

"We're not afraid of Layle, Lyra." James spoke up. "But- But I don't know, what we'll do."

"Fine! Be like the Marshalls. Just because your kid has a crystal, just leave them behind! Leave them in Alfitaria!"

Layle turned his head back up to the floor. Had his mother said the Marshall's baby had a Crystal? He didn't know that. "Won…There's another Crystal Bearer from Denthe." He started to crawl forward. His mother had told him the baby was sick, and he had to be left at the hospital. He'd asked just about every day for a month last year when they were coming back. He asked Lyra, James, Clementine, and the Marshall's oldest son again and again. But no one ever answered him. He crawled out through the grate and called to his bird. "Come on, Won!" Layle waited for the bird to follow him out before turning his attention up the road and running off.

He knew just where to find the Marshall's oldest child and ask them about the baby.

* * *

Up the road from the General Store a group of kids were playing a game of Kickerbaul. The youngest of the group was ten, making them twice Layle's age. He never played with the other kids. Partly because the older, teenage boys were always doing their own thing, never wanting the younger kids to tag along. And anyone even close to Layle's age said he couldn't play with them because of his magic. Whenever he was around the group of kids something always seemed to go wrong. He'd flip a person, or the ball would go flying too far for anyone to find. Eventually they all gave up on playing with him.

So Layle either played with his family, or by himself. Or if he was tired of that he'd watch the other kids play. Lots of times they'd all go way up the road to the next town over, a place called Nevul, and play with the kids from there. That village was three times the size of theirs. Lyra had told Layle he was too little to make that trip by himself, though. So if everyone went to Nevul, he often was left in the village alone, without anyone to even watch play.

But today he was going to make that trip. He knew the kids would be talking up the road. And the Marshall's son was twelve, still too young to tag along with the teenagers, but old enough to lead the rest of the kids of Denthe in their games.

He walked, past the houses of the towns people, past their farm houses out in the distance and up towards edge of the village.

Layle was in a bit of luck, the kids hadn't left yet. A group of four boys and one girl stood talking and giggling excitedly about what they were going to do for the afternoon. They all seemed rather excited. Their energy soon petered out as they realized Layle was standing a few feet away watching them. The kids slowly turned to look at him, ready to tell him he couldn't come with them up the road to the next village.

Finally the boy he wanted to talk to stepped forward. The Marshall's son held a kickerbaul in his hands and glared down at the blond Clavat. "What do you want, Layle?"

"…" He looked at the kids past the older boy and then up to him. Like everyone else in the village, the kids had an assortment of brown or black hair and green or brown eyes. Even in his appearance Layle was different from everyone else. "How come your parents didn't bring home your baby brother?"

All the other kids started to whisper and laugh under their breath at the question.

"What?" The older boy shook his head. "Layle, go away."

"…Did he really have a crystal like me?"

The older boy took a deep breath and again and shouted at Layle, "I said to go away, okay! Just go back to your Mom!"

"…What kind of crystal was it?" He wasn't going to stop. "Why did they leave him behind? Why didn't they tell anyone?"

"Layle! Are you stupid!?" He shouted at him. "They told everyone, okay! They told everyone and they left him because he had that stupid crystal! Now go away!" The twelve year-old was clearly agitated. He was actually quite upset that he would never know his brother. But it had been a year; it was something no one talked about. Ever.

"…Why?" Layle twisted his lips. "Don't they miss him?"

"You're an idiot!" The boy continued to shout at him. "No one misses him! No one can! Just go away, Layle!"

The bird at Layle's side fluffed up from all the shouting. It started to let out a series of peeps. Layle watched as the older boy turned away and reached down to pet the bird, "I- I don't understand… Because of his crystal?"

The older boy stopped and turned around. "No one likes Crystal Bearers, you idiot. No one likes you. No one wants to have a Crystal Bearer for a kid."

"That's not true," Layle stopped trying to calm his bird.

"Yes it is. That's why they all go to the monastery. No one wants them."

"You're lying! They do not!"

"That's where my brother is! And if James' girl is a Crystal Bearer that's where she'll go too! Maybe you can go with her!"

"No!" Layle shook his head and glared at him, "That's not true. He wants her. And my Mom wants me!" The older boy laughed at what he said. But Layle continued to glare at him. "Stop it! Stop lying!"

"You're the one lying, Layle!" the twelve year old pointed at him. "You're Mom does not want you."

"Shut up!"

"She doesn't!"

"Shut up! You're lying to me! You're just- you're just a stupid liar! Lyra does so want me! I'm right here!"

"Lyra is not your mother!" The kid screamed back at him and took a step forward. "Look at you! Look at Lyra! Look at your family! You're just as unwanted as every stupid Crystal Bearer!"

"Quit saying that!" Layle took a deep breath and screamed at him. "Stop it!"

"Lyra just brought you here one day! Like a wild Chocobo! You're real Mom doesn't want you because she knows! Everyone knows! No one wants a Crystal Bearer! No one! Not even me! I don't want one for a brother! And I don't want you in this village! And James doesn't want one for a nephew or a daughter!" The boy raised the ball in his hands and threw it at Layle. "So just leave already!"

"SHUT! UP!" The Crystal Bearer screamed back at him and leaned forward. He had his fist clenched at his sides and his shut tight. The ball stopped a few inches form his face and seemed to hover there for a moment until he shouted again. "You're the one that's unwanted!" The ball flung forward, in the blink of an eye it smashed into the older boy's face. The sound that followed when the ball connected with his nose was like to rocks grinding together. He let out a scream and fell backward. Collectively all the other kids screamed and went running.

Layle was gasping for breath as he open his eyes. The older boy was on the ground groaning and crying. But so was the Crystal Bearer. The other kids were running back to the village calling for their parents and help and shouting Layle had gone wild.

The older boy rolled over holding his face sobbing. "Look what you did- Lo-look what you did! –you- you stupid- stupid- abomination!"

"Layle!" The Crystal Bearer turned around to see a group of adults from the village coming up the road. He shook his head as they started to run forward trying to grab him. He picked up his bird and ran off the road. The mothers and fathers shouting at him, shouting for Lyra to come get him.

He ran down the road and through the grass. He could see his mother and James making their way up the road in the hurry. For a moment the Chocobo rancher stopped and looked over to see her son. Layle stopped running and stared at her. Before Lyra could call out to him to come over to her another villager shouted her name. She turned her head and told them to wait, but when she looked back to where Layle was standing he was gone.

The Clavat woman sighed. She really had no idea what to do with that child.

* * *

Several hours and apologies later Lyra was back at the General Store. Her brother and his wife were preparing to leave, though now they'd miss their checkup. They would have to stay overnight in the capitol city and try to get in to her doctor tomorrow.

"I'm really sorry; you all didn't have to stay…"

"Lyra…" James put his hand on his sister's shoulders. "You know I wasn't going to leave you with that angry mob by yourself."

"…I don't believe that boy. Layle just wouldn't attack someone without reason."

"How do you know that, Lyra?" Clementine spoke up. "We weren't there. And who knows what Layle's thinking. He's always watching those kids."

"He's not violent."

"His magic is."

"No… He just, doesn't know what to do with it." The woman sighed. "Go on, leave. I hope the baby is well." She took a step back from her brother and his wagon.

"…Lyra, if she's got a crystal, I promise, I'll at least bring her by so Layle can meet her." The woman nodded and watched as her brother and his wife started to pull away from the store. She knew it was too much to ask them to keep their daughter if she was born with a crystal. The village could barely handle Layle. She could barely handle him.

She made her way back up the road to her house to find her son.

She searched their entire two story home, but Layle wasn't there. She looked out in the gardens, and out in the fields, but Layle wasn't anywhere. She even checked the barn calling to him and Won, but got no response. Finally she made her way back into town and even looked under the General Store. She knew he'd play under there sometimes, but still nothing.

Lyra spent the rest of the day light hours looking for her son, but he never turned up.

* * *

Finally, when the stars were out and the sky was darkening, she resolved to head home and wait for him. Hopefully a hungry stomach would bring him out of wherever he'd hidden himself. It wasn't unusual for Layle to hide if there was a mess in town, but she wasn't used to him not coming when called. It actually worried her a great deal.

Where was her son?

Lyra made her way up the dirt path to their house. Her head down and sighing. She'd have to pay the medical bill and for the train ticket for the Marshalls to keep them happy. Some of the villagers said they wanted her to send Layle away. But that wasn't going to happen, not without a fight. She'd already kept him from going to the orphanage once when he was a infant. She had no intentions of ever sending him there. The woman looked up at their house and stopped a few feet out from the door. The lights were all off. There's no way Layle would sit in a dark house.

She let out another sigh.

Out the corner of her eye she could see the Chocobo barn, and a dim light shining from the window of the upper loft. The woman peered at it and slowly walked toward the barn. Lyra pushed open the door and called out softly, "Layle?" There was no response.

The Clavat woman made her way over to a ladder and started to climb. Inside her birds were all asleep. But she could hear something rustling around overhead in the hay storage. Lyra reached the top of the ladder and saw Won digging about in the straw. The little bird let out a cry and ran away. She pulled herself up to the loft and followed it.

The little golden bird led her over to the back wall where she found her son lying on the hay. He was on his side with his knees pulled up to his chest and his back to her. There was an oil lamp at his side, lit to keep the darkness away.

"Layle…" The woman stood over him. "Layle, are you awake?"

"…yes…"

Lyra frowned. "Didn't you hear me calling you?"

"…yes…"

She hesitated for a moment. She was used to him being upset when the village was mad with him. But he never dragged it out like this. He would come when she called and they would cheer up together. "Layle, don't be sad about the Marshall's son. His nose will be alright. His whole face will, I promise."

The boy didn't respond to her.

"…Come on, dear. We need to go in for dinner."

He still didn't say anything.

"…Layle?"

"Lyra," the toddler didn't move, "Are you my Mother?"

The Clavat opened her mouth and took a deep breath. She smiled and shook her head, "Layle, what- what kind of silly question is that?"

"…The kids said, you're not." Lyra watched him raise his hand to pet Won. "They said no one wants a Crystal Bearer for a son."

"…" Lyra sat down in the hay next to Layle. She watched him pet Won a bit more before speaking up. "…Do you think I don't want you, Layle? I that why you're up here?" He still didn't say thing to her. "…Yes." Lyra finally answered him. The toddler looked over his shoulder at her. She could see his face and eyes were red. "Yes, I am. I'm not the woman that had you. But I am your Mother."

"How?" Layle shook his head. He blinked continuously like he was going to cry. "You didn't have me- why are you lying?"

"I'm not lying." Lyra leaned forward. "I'm your Mom." She smiled softly at him. "I take care of you. I play with you. I treat you when you are sick. I celebrate with you when you are happy, I cry with you when you are sad… I give you gifts, and tell you stories, and take you with me everywhere I go-"

"-But she didn't want me?" Layle was still hung up on the fact Lyra wasn't his mother. "She- she didn't? It's true… So James will not want his daughter…and the Marshalls don't want their son- and-"

"Layle!" Lyra let her hand rest on his head. "Layle… Yes, that is true… Someone- some didn't want you. Because they didn't understand. Just like the village, they just- They don't understand when something is different." She watched the toddler rub his eyes. "And I- I can't say I always understand you, or your magic, but Layle, haven't I shown you that I want you? You're here with me aren't you?" He didn't say anything.

Lyra watched him. She had no idea how to cheer him up. She was worried about what to do next. She never wanted to have this conversation. At least not until he was much, much older. "…Layle… What are you thinking about?"

"…My Mom…and what she's like…and why she didn't want me."

"You've been thinking about that this whole time?" He nodded to her. "Well, tell me. Tell me about it."

"…Because of my crystal, and because I hurt people." He rubbed the right side of his face, "So she doesn't want me. She's probably…nice. And pretty. …Maybe she cooks? I wonder if she celebrates my birthday… If I have other uncles and brothers and sisters…and…" He looked up at Lyra. The woman was watching him. She had a slight smile on her face. Occasionally she closed her eyes for a second before opening them again. They had a slightly glossy look to them. "…Are you…sad, Lyra?"

"…A little. Because you are. No mother wants their child to be sad."

"…" Layle stared at her for a long time. She wasn't sure what he was thinking. She couldn't read his thoughts through his actions like she could her birds. But slowly a smile spread across the blonde's face. "But, you do want me, right, Lyra?"

"…Of course. That's why I brought you here. I want you to be here with me. You're my son."

Layle leaned over and wrapped his arms around her as much as he could and the woman wrapped and arm around his back. "I'm sorry; I made you sad, Mom. I want to be here, with you."

The woman chuckled. "It's not your fault, Layle. I should have told you… I have lots I should tell you." Lyra ruffled his hair. "Let's go inside, okay?" She slowly stood up and pulled Layle up to stand with her. When she reached the end of the loft she started to climb down first telling Layle to follow her. About halfway down the ladder she noticed he wasn't coming.

"Layle?" The woman called up to the toddler. Suddenly she heard the sound of footsteps banging against the wood and before she knew it she saw her son jumping from the top of the loft with the little Chocobo chick in his arms. "Layle!" she watched him land in a pile of hay on the floor and Lyra scrambled down the ladder. "Layle! Layle!" The rancher dug through the hay to find her son laughing to himself with the bird struggling to get free of him.

Lyra sighed and pulled him out of the hay. The little bird jumped to the floor and ran about squawking.

"I made it!"

"…Yes…Yes you did…" Lyra held him up in her arms and picked the hay out of his hair. "Tell you what, Layle, before dinner, why don't you show me your jump down the stairs?"

"Really! I can!?"

"Yes, you can…" Lyra started walking towards the exit of the barn. She felt Layle wrap his arms tight around her next.

"I don't care about her. That lady that didn't want me," he spoke up.

"Oh?"

"Yes. She's not my Mom. I have you."

Lyra smiled to herself as she continued to walk. Maybe she didn't understand children or magic as well as she did her Chocobos. It wasn't a set routine or easy pattern to understand…

But loving someone is never routine.


	7. Coat Keeping

**A/N:** I wrote this little number to cheer up my friend **NekoChronicles**.

* * *

**Coat Keeping**

* * *

**Summary:** A little glance at the relationship workings between a Selkie and a Crystal Bearer

**Characters: **Belle/Layle

**Warnings: **Its all fluff. (I know I'm breaking my pattern, but its a cheer up story!)

**Stand Alone Oneshot**

* * *

_In ancient days, they used to say…_

_There goes the Selkie, born from the sea._

_Keep your daggers far from me._

_Hated and scorned, they are brigands and thieves,_

_Wearing pelts and furs, like animals wild and free._

_But if you should want_

_To keep one by your side._

_Their fur coat you should take_

_And hide._

_"Sometimes I wonder if that old rhyme actually holds any truth to it. Or if it only works on Selkies…"_

* * *

"Belle- Belle! BELLEE!"

"What!" The young Selkie woman sat up from her place in bed. Her short brown hair was ruffled, and her lips were pressed together in announce; the spaghetti straps of her pajama top just barely hung onto her shoulders. She had been trying to sleep in and enjoy her day off, but for the past hour she'd been trying to block out the sounds of her apartment being rummaged through. She had a modest home- by her standards- one that she recently started renting after she grew tired of the tight spaces on the Guild Ship. Plenty of Selkies that made enough would rent out apartments and condos along the lavish buildings of the resort coast line. As they were fellow Selkies and Guild Members the rates were pretty cheap. So why should she settle for a regular issued room on the Izymael?

She could have so much more here. And she did. Plenty of space for more than she could imagine. And to have her friends and other house guest over.

"Don't 'What' at me," her current house guest stood in the doorway of her bed room. His arms crossed, eyes narrowed, and blond hair just as ruffled as her own. But he never did anything to tame it; it flipped and curled no matter what was going on. "Where is my jacket?"

"…Seriously, Layle?" She yawned and lay back down. "It's on the back of a chair in the kitchen."

"No it's not."

"Then it's on the back of another chair."

"Do you think I am shouting your name at the top of my lungs because it's out in the open!?"

She pulled the covers up over her shoulders and responded snidely, "I can think of three reasons you shout my name at the top of your lungs all the time." She heard the Clavat let out an exasperated groan before exiting the room. The Selkie continued to chuckle to herself as she closed her eyes. She was determined to sleep in today even if Layle was not. She was convinced she was just on the verge of getting back to sleep when she heard something shatter.

Belle sat up in a bolt and stared at the door.

"Layle! What are you doing out there!?" The Clavat didn't respond. Belle waited and shouted his name again. Finally she got up and opened her bedroom door. The sight outside made her scream. Half her furniture was on its side. Flipped and turned over. He really had ransacked the place. "CRYSTAL BEARER!"

"WHAT!" Layle shouted at her from the kitchen.

Belle stormed across her destroyed sitting room to the kitchen where she found Layle. He was kneeling on the counter going through the cabinets and pushing the plates to the side. One was on the floor broken.

"Don't you 'what!' at me! My apartment!"

"What about it?" He kept looking through the kitchen, not looking back at her angry face.

"It's ruined! Look- just because when you lived with Keiss you two lived like cave goblins doesn't mean you live like one here!"

"I don't _live_ here," he closed the door and got of the counter. "Someone just keeps insisting that I come by. I live on the ship. And when I was living with Keiss I _never_ lost my jacket!"

The Selkie shook her head in aggravation, "All of this over your dumb coat. Just what do you need it for anyway?"

"I have a job. Not all of us can just sleep the day away."

Belle put one hand on her hip and the other behind her head with a smile, "I have to sleep in on my days off. Beauty sleep is a job all on its own."

The Clavat snorted at her, "Well in that case, you'd better sleep a little longer."

Belle gasped in shock at the offhand joke. He was really made about that missing jacket, wasn't he? "You had better take that back!"

"Make me."

The Selkie let out her own cry of aggravation and rushed across the kitchen at him. Layle pushed off the counter and ran around the table to opposite end away from her. Belle stopped and started to double back, only for Layle to do the same. Back and forth, around and around she chased him around the kitchen until finally he bolted out the door laughing at her. Belle followed him shouting for him to stop. The Clavat stood in the sitting room waiting for her to catch up. He snatched up a pillow from the over turned couch with his magic and tossed it at her. It collided with her face and she let out a muffled yelp.

When she removed it the Clavat was moving again, this time making his way toward the front door. Belle hung onto the pillow and raised it over her head as she ran at him. Screaming she was going to make him eat the chair cushion. Layle reached the door and turned around to face her, she swung at him with the pillow and he dodged. He ducked under the swing and ran past her heading across the room again.

Her swing it the door. Belle grumbled and turned around just in time to see Layle opening the glass doors on the other side of the room that led out to her little balcony. She clutched the pillow tight and chased after him. Layle stood in the doorway mocking her, shouting her phrases back at her as she charged forward swinging. He ducked to the side as she jumped at him.

Belle stumbled forward and the pillow hit the edge of her balcony's railing. Layle moved to stand in the other corner shaking his head and commenting on her poor aim. Belle swung at him again, and again. Each time he moved around her laughing. Finally exhausted she leaned against the rails and held the pillow to her chest. She was gasping for air. He was just fine.

"Come on? Is that it?" He smirked at her and gave a wink.

"Why-why-you!" Belle lunged forward again, holding the pillow high overhead with both hands. Layle held out his own and used his magic to block her as he dodged again. Once he was out of the way he released the spell and she fell. However her momentum didn't cease. The Selkie stumbled forward and hit the railing hard. Her body started to flip over the side and she hollered in surprise.

The pillow went falling from her finger tips and she screamed. For a moment all she could see was the next five stories straight down into the blossoming shrubs at the base of the apartment complex. Then she suddenly felt her body lurch backward; back up and over the railing and flying in reverse until she collided with the Clavat. He wrapped his arms around her to catch her, but the force of the pull knocked him back and down into a sitting position.

Even after she landed she still screamed. Layle held tight onto her trying to get her to calm down.

"Belle- Belle! BELLLLE!"

"AHH! You- you- I—You!"

"Belle, come on now, you're alright! I've got you!"

"Alright!" She gasped. "_ALRIGHT!_" The girl tilted her head back she felt like she was going to cry. "You wreck my apartment, you call me ugly, you make me chase you around and then you nearly kill me! And all this over a stupid jacket! I am not alright!"

"Ah, Belle I was only teasing you…" Layle watched her lower her head into her hands. She continued to gasp from exhaustion and fright as he leaned forward and kissed the side of her face. "Belle, you're not ugly… Come on. You know you're not-"

"You think I'm ugly-"

"Oh geeze, Belle, you know I don't- stop crying. Stop it. Come on I'll fix your apartment, you know I will."

"I-I don't care-!"

"Come on, what can I do to make it up to you…"

"Y-you can leave!"

"Belle, don't- come on. I'll do anything you want."

"A-an-anything?" Her shoulders continued to shake as she tried to calm down.

"Yes, anything."

The brunette rubbed her eyes with her finger tips, "Breakfast."

"Okay, sure, I'll take you out to break-"

"-No," she cut him off. "In bed. I want you to cook it."

"Fine, okay- Breakfast in bed."

"And lunch."

"Alright."

"And dinner on the beach. At that restaurant all the nobles eat at. You have to wear your tuxedo."

"…Are you even crying?"

She looked up at him, "And you have to go shopping with me this afternoon."

"…You're not even crying…"

"You already promised me anything," she smirked and tapped him on the nose.

"Because I thought you were mad." Layle half glared at her as she pushed herself free of his arms and stood up.

"Oh I am mad. Extremely." The brunette leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. "I'll send Keiss an express letter letting him know you aren't working today!"

The Clavat rolled his eyes as the girl left the balcony. He rubbed the side of his face shaking his head and questioning out loud how did it always end up like this?

Belle made her way back into her room and shut the door. She made her way over to her bed and peaked behind the head board to inspect the narrow gap between it and the wall. She could still see the white covering and metal links of an old, refurbished utility jacket.

"Note to self," she grinned devilishly, "I have to find another hiding place before he searches the bedroom."


	8. Movie Night

**Movie Night**

* * *

**Summary: ** Scary Movies aren't all they're cracked up to be for the Queen of Alfitaria

**Characters: **Layle/Althea

**Warnings: **Fluff (yeah I know I'm breaking my angst stride a lot here XD)

**Stand Alone Oneshot**

* * *

The scream that filled the air was loud enough to make one's hair stand on end. The sound of a woman screaming in absolute fright as she was over taken by panic and terror. Her cries were endless, calls for help and for the source of her terror to stay back. A horrible monster. A roaring raging undead behemoth, drooling and snarling and snorting as it approached her. Its horns lowered ready to rush forward and gut her in an instant. Its glowing red eyes fixed only on her. A poor defenseless Selkie caught between the beast and the bluffs of the island.

Would no one save her?

Was this the end?

Where was her hero? That dashing Clavat that had saved her from death at the hands of these monsters before?

She screamed again as the monster rushed forward, and this time she didn't scream alone.

Another sudden yelp of horror and exclamation of denial came with the Selkie girl's screams. Those that belonged to a Lilty female.

"No! No!" The other girl screamed. She covered her face and looked away. The action only elicited a laugh from the person next to her.

"Come on! Don't cover your eyes again!"

"No I can't stand it! Turn it off! I don't want to see her get eaten!" She kept her eyes covered and turned her head away. All she could see was the palm her hands. Maybe a few gaps here and there between her fingers that allowed the pale light extending into the room from the Crystalvision to seep through. The sounds of the screaming abruptly stopped but the laughter did not.

In fact it got louder. And was followed up by a loud thump.

She uncovered her green eyes and quickly turned her head. The entire room was dark save for the light coming from the screen. It washed out over the furniture of the Bridge Town apartment, extending the shadows, and casting everything in an odd light. The couch she was sitting on took the brunt of it. Next to her there should have been a Clavat, but he was effetely on the floor choking on his own laughter and tears.

"It's not funny!" She looked down at him, he was on his side laughing. His head back and his blond bangs falling to the side. Just laughing at her.

He seemed to do that a lot these days.

"Ugh…. Layle, if you don't stop…" The Lilty girl turned her head away and crossed her arms. "It's not funny. I really I can't stand this sort of thing!"

The Clavat finally stopped laughing as hard, but he certainly kept chuckling form his place on the floor. "C-come on, Althea… Y-you're so worked up over this movie-"

"It's scary!" She cut him off.

"How so?" Layle slowly pulled himself up to sit on the floor. He leaned against the couch and rest his elbow on the seat cushion. He watched the younger girl pull her legs up to her chest and glare at him. She wore her long white leggings an oversized T-shirt she borrowed from him whenever she came over to hide away from the palace.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he thought to tell her not to sit like that with him on the floor, but the voice in the forefront of his mind telling him to keep quiet won out.

"Don't you think the idea of being eaten alive is terrifying?"

The Clavat shook his head, "No. I mean, I've been swallowed by a Malboro once. It's not so bad."

The Lilty rolled her eyes, "Can't we watch something less gory at least?"

"I can't believe this stuff scares you." Layle got up off the floor shaking his head. "You know how much dangerous stuff I've watched you do? And a silly movie scares you?"

"It's always monster movies with you…" She kept her arms wrapped around her legs as she watched him walk away from the couch and over to the wall to look on the shelf for a different movie to watch. Once he moved out of the direct light, he was a little bit harder to see, if not for the white undershirt he wore that caught what little light there was in the shadows she'd have lost him in the darkness of the room. It was the middle of the night, and honestly she was surprised her screaming or the girl's didn't wake anyone. "Well... Is there anything that doesn't involve someone being gored alive?"

"…Does dissolved alive count?"

"Yes!"

"Then no." She let out a sigh and fell over on the couch. Althea closed her eyes frowning and stayed like that until she felt a hand poke at her stomach. "Why can't we watch something else… like something with mystery…or drama… or romance…"

"Night of the Undead Behemoths has that."

Althea opened one eye to look up at the boy leaning over the back of the couch, "No." Was all she said in response to his statement.

"Come on… It has all that and-"

"And a lot of unnecessary violence! And blood! And killing! Four people died before the movie title even comes on!"

"That's the drama."

"And were do these monsters even keep coming from? Behemoths have a very specific miasma pattern stream that they follow. Being out on the Selkie Islands doesn't make sense!"

"That's the mystery!"

"…and that girl about to get gored-"

Layle leaned his cheek against the back of his knuckles, "What? You don't think her interaction with the hero is romantic?"

"No. I don't think throwing yourself at the some random stranger because he saved you form a monster is romantic."

"They only have so much time in a movie…"

Althea sat up and pointed at him, "Ten minutes is how long they talked for before they were in a bed."

"Alright, alright! Next time I'll borrow a movie form Belle… Or Keiss, or something." He leaned forward and smiled, "Will that make you happy?"

"Maybe… No one had better get eaten in it." The Lilty twisted her lips slightly; she was half pouting and half fighting a smile.

"Okay, one ridiculously boring romantic movie for the next time you're here." The Clavat leaned down further and kissed her cheek. "But until then… This one has twenty minutes left."

Althea sighed and swung her legs around over the couch. Layle jumped over the back and hit play, using his magic to hit the buttons from his seat. The screaming resumed, and the monster charged only to be stopped by the hero of the movie with a stolen Military tank. He and the girl used it to chase down the monsters to their source, attempting to rescue their friends only to find a few eaten corpses along the way.

The Lilty Queen still covered her eyes here and there as some of it, practically refusing to watch the end of the movie.

Even during the final fight against the evil summoner conjuring up the monsters and the last, deformed, giant Undead King Behemoth she still squirmed and only peeked at the screen. Somewhere in the last five minutes she felt an arm on her shoulder that made her jump. Althea looked to her side to see Layle watch her, slightly smiling.

"You really can't stand this, huh?"

"I-I already told you… It's not fun for me!" She raised her voice over the climax of the movie.

"You know I'd never let a monster get you right?" Althea could barely hear him over the monster's dying roars and the Selkie girl's last round of unintelligible screaming.

"Really? Aren't you the one that 'isn't here to rescue me'?" On the TV screen the hero and the girl were looking out over the monster's body and the dead magic caster. It always seemed like magic users were the villains in these things.

"Don't hold that against me okay? If you were in any real danger-"

Althea held up her hand and pressed her fingers to his lips to silence him, "Just don't expect me to get in bed with you ten minutes after the monster is dead, alright?" The movie finally started to quiet down as the two characters rode back to town in the tank, the girl looking out at the sun coming up over the now quiet island.

Layle took her wrist and pulled her hand away before leaning down to press their foreheads together, "You always end up sleeping next to me anyway… Complaining about nightmares and monsters in your sleep."

"That's the real reason you make me watch all these terrible movies, isn't it?" Althea smiled softly before raising her head slight.

He leaned down, to close the gap between them and kissed her gently on the lips.

On the screen the credits were rolling as the two remaining characters shared a kiss and the camera moved around to go back over their tracks and show the body of the magic user was gone. Implying that the danger wasn't over. Without breaking the kiss Layle used his magic to flip the Crystalvision off, blanketing the room in darkness.

And while the movies were frightful and scary, Althea had to admit, having her hero nearby for comfort at the end, made her foolish act of overreacting worth it.


End file.
